What do you think?
Rate this book
Paper Hearts #1
Paper Hearts, Volume 1: Some Writing Advice
Bird by Bird meets Save the Cat in this new writing advice book by NY Times bestselling author Beth Revis. With more than 100000 reads on Wattpad, this newly expanded and rewritten edition features 350 pages of content, including charts and a detailed appendix. ~Fight the blank page.When it comes to writing, there's no wrong way to get words on paper. But it's not always easy to make the ink flow. Paper Some Writing Advice won't make writing any simpler, but it may help spark your imagination and get your hands back on the keyboard.Practical Advice Meets Real ExperienceWith information that takes you from common mistakes in grammar to detailed charts on story structure, Paper Hearts to Develop Character, Plot, & World-What Common Advice You Should Ignore-What Advice Actually Helps-How to Develop a Novel-The Basics of Grammar, Style, & Tone-Four Practical Methods of Charting Story Structure-How to Get Critiques and Revise Your Novel-How to Deal with Failure...And much more!BONUS! More than 25 "What to do if..." scenarios to help writers navigate problems in writing from a NY Times Bestselling author who's written more than 2 million words of fiction.
343 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2015
31 people are currently reading
1184 people want to read
About the author
Beth Revis
64 books6,743 followersBeth Revis writes books. She also eats too much chocolate, wishes she could travel more, and prefers puppies to people. Beth lives in rural NC with her boys: one husband, one son, two very large puppies.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
November 2, 2015
I'm super happy with this book. Writing a book is one of my biggest dreams in life and Beth Revis is one of my favorite authors. This book has given me some really great advice about the entire process and it's even more special coming from someone who's work I admire so incredibly much.
November 1, 2015
This book covers all the burning questions that aspiring authors ask, and does so in a quick, entertaining, and thoroughly honest way that gets the information to the reader in the most easily digestible format I've ever seen in a writing book. With fantastic charts and great straight talk, reading this book is like having a New York Times bestselling author looking over your shoulder. I wish I'd been able to read this as I was working toward getting published, but even with two books out from a major publisher, I learned a lot from these pages. And I enjoyed every moment that I was reading.
August 2, 2016
A good book if you either are on the road to becoming an author or at least toying with the idea.
Read more on The SerialReader Blog.
Read more on The SerialReader Blog.
April 17, 2017
I'm a fan of craft books, but I rarely rate them this highly. Partly because I pick and choose the useful bits from them, partly because they often come with a subtle (or not-so-subtle) implication that this is THE ONE WAY to write.
Not so with Paper Hearts. Beth Revis is pretty clear that there's no one way--while providing a heap of tools to help with structure, worldbuilding, character, pacing, and more. And she clearly knows her stuff. She's even got a bunch of chapters at the end that go through specifics of what a critique might mean. (For example, if your CP isn't connecting to the main character, it could be the stakes aren't high enough.) This book already has me thinking in whole new ways about my WIP. I bought a Kindle copy, and now I'd like one in print, too.
It's clear nuts-and-bolts advice, combined with pep talk and real talk about the truth of writing and publishing.
This is truly a fantastic resource. Geared to YA, but I imagine it applies to a lot of genres.
Not so with Paper Hearts. Beth Revis is pretty clear that there's no one way--while providing a heap of tools to help with structure, worldbuilding, character, pacing, and more. And she clearly knows her stuff. She's even got a bunch of chapters at the end that go through specifics of what a critique might mean. (For example, if your CP isn't connecting to the main character, it could be the stakes aren't high enough.) This book already has me thinking in whole new ways about my WIP. I bought a Kindle copy, and now I'd like one in print, too.
It's clear nuts-and-bolts advice, combined with pep talk and real talk about the truth of writing and publishing.
This is truly a fantastic resource. Geared to YA, but I imagine it applies to a lot of genres.
September 6, 2025
Everything Counts
This was a very thorough book that covers just about every aspect of writing from outlining to formatting to editing. I found it contained a lot of relevant advice to my current writing project. My only qualm is that the book constantly says you can ignore the rules and that not every rule applies to every writer, which in some ways, made it feel like the author was discrediting her own advice. However, I appreciate the acknowledgement of diverse writing methods and that it isn't a one-size-fits-all craft.
This was a very thorough book that covers just about every aspect of writing from outlining to formatting to editing. I found it contained a lot of relevant advice to my current writing project. My only qualm is that the book constantly says you can ignore the rules and that not every rule applies to every writer, which in some ways, made it feel like the author was discrediting her own advice. However, I appreciate the acknowledgement of diverse writing methods and that it isn't a one-size-fits-all craft.
Read
May 6, 2017Really great and easy to digest. Geared mainly for the beginning writer, but I definitely highlighted a bunch on story structure.
May 27, 2021
This is the type of book you need to go back to and look over to get advice while you are writing. I'll definitely look to it for inspiration and advice.
May 11, 2016
I have never read a writing advice book, but I sure am glad this was the first one that I picked up. Beth Revis is one of my most favorite authors who I look up to as a writer myself, so reading her advice and how she became an author over time really inspired me in all sorts of ways. This book overflowing with writing advice wasn’t told in a mundane way. No, Revis was hilarious in her honest writing and really captured my attention with every point she made. She didn’t sugarcoat any info she handed to the reader. She encouraged originality and laid all her thoughts on the table which was refreshing to read.
She gave such great advice such as how to create strong characters, how to get the attention of publishers, how to edit your novel, and how to outline your story as well. I personally think that any upcoming YA author should read this writing novel because it gave great pointers and was so encouraging. Beth Revis provided great examples to her advice by using other famous YA novels to really help the reader grasp what she was discussing which was so helpful.
Overall, I adored this quick read from one of my most favorite authors. I felt as though I became her friend by reading this book because she was so conversational and witty. Beth was entertaining, honest, and really had a cohesive layout in her advice which was easy to grasp. I definitely will remember the information she provided and use it in future reference whenever I write. There wasn’t a single thing in this book that wasn’t informative and helpful to writers everywhere. This is definitely an essential for writers, especially YA writers.
She gave such great advice such as how to create strong characters, how to get the attention of publishers, how to edit your novel, and how to outline your story as well. I personally think that any upcoming YA author should read this writing novel because it gave great pointers and was so encouraging. Beth Revis provided great examples to her advice by using other famous YA novels to really help the reader grasp what she was discussing which was so helpful.
Overall, I adored this quick read from one of my most favorite authors. I felt as though I became her friend by reading this book because she was so conversational and witty. Beth was entertaining, honest, and really had a cohesive layout in her advice which was easy to grasp. I definitely will remember the information she provided and use it in future reference whenever I write. There wasn’t a single thing in this book that wasn’t informative and helpful to writers everywhere. This is definitely an essential for writers, especially YA writers.
March 17, 2016
If you had to pick one advice on writing book, pick this one!! Paper Hearts, Some Writing Advice by Beth Revis, is a breath of fresh air. This book is so personable its like you were sitting down having coffee with the author and talking to her. It is fun, witty and dead on. Revis shares what works for her, what works for others and really encourages you to try different things to find the correct method for yourself. She doesn't preach, she just shares her stories of different things that have worked for her, a lot of things that haven't and gives you different strategies to work on to achieve your personal goals. This is a great read for anyone!!
I received a free copy of this book for an honest review from NetGalley.
June 28, 2018
I have read many books on writing far too many to count. This book is the best book I have read on the topic. It goes into great detail on not only breaking down structure and characterization but also goes into all the different aspects/tools (critique partners, open mind, willingness to accept failure) you as a writer need in order to succeed. If you are just starting out this is the book for you. It breaks everything down that most had to learn the hard way. While it is full of information it is broken down in short chapters and not overwhelming. It is also written in a way that is easy to follow and to understand.
If you're debating picking this book up don't. You won't regret it.
If you're debating picking this book up don't. You won't regret it.
November 10, 2017
I expected a bit of a pep rally, maybe some new ideas. What I got was a heart torn wide open for all the world to see.
I really enjoy Beth Revis’s novels. Her writing is amazing. So if she wrote a book of writing advice, it has to be good, right? No. It’s a-freaking-mazing! Her honesty is apprecited and her insight is spot-on.
Thank you, Beth Revis, for this awesome book! (I also bought the other two books in the series and can’t wait to dig in.)
I really enjoy Beth Revis’s novels. Her writing is amazing. So if she wrote a book of writing advice, it has to be good, right? No. It’s a-freaking-mazing! Her honesty is apprecited and her insight is spot-on.
Thank you, Beth Revis, for this awesome book! (I also bought the other two books in the series and can’t wait to dig in.)
October 8, 2018
Witty, Wise, & Wonderful for any & all Writer! Thanks Beth Revis!
September 8, 2018
Books on creative writing can be incredibly personal. I’m always a bit hesitant when buying one of these books - who knows if they’ll fit my style of writing? So here are some of my observations and hopefully they’ll help you make up your mind whether this book is for you or not.
In short, this book gives lots of advice on how to write if you want to get published. The narrative structures discussed are all based on how to get an agent or publisher to notice you. This is not how I think a book should be written, so if you’re like me and are leaning towards a freely flowing creative process, this book isn’t for you. If, however, your only aim is to get published, then you’ll love this book.
A few things:
- The writing is very entertaining. Aside from Stephen King’s On Writing, this is the only creative writing book I actually enjoyed for its writing style. It’s witty and I really enjoyed that. Kudos to the author!
- I love how feminist and pro-diversity the author is.
- Particularly the parts on character development I found very useful. There were some excellent tips in there that I hadn’t read in any other books.
- The writer uses a lot of her own stuff in examples. I get that - this book is probably a way of promoting her novels - and it’s totally fine, but after 300 pages, it gets a bit tiresome. In addition, she always draws on the same book, so it becomes a little boring. I would have found it interesting if she had used more examples from books other than Hunger Games and Harry Potter (to which she refers a lot).
- I find that a lot of the writing tips (maybe 40% or 50% of the book) are very much oriented towards publishing. I don’t particularly agree on this. In my opinion and experience, a book should be written in the way the story needs to be written, not how an agent wants it to be. Much of the advice on structure was based on what editors, publishers and agents want. To me, this is very counter productive towards creativity. It feels like she’s advising writers to force-fit their stories in a mold. There’s also plenty of talk about how many words a chapter or book MUST be. Not my thing.
- Most of the advice is specifically applicable to adventure/fantasy novels. I don’t particularly enjoy writing that genre, so I found plenty of advice not useful. However, if you’re into adventure stuff, you’ll find heaps of good advice.
- It’s just so long and repetitive. The book could be 100 pages shorter and we wouldn’t miss too much info. Certain things are repeated again and again and again. So much so that I found myself quickly skipping through the endless appendix.
In short, this book gives lots of advice on how to write if you want to get published. The narrative structures discussed are all based on how to get an agent or publisher to notice you. This is not how I think a book should be written, so if you’re like me and are leaning towards a freely flowing creative process, this book isn’t for you. If, however, your only aim is to get published, then you’ll love this book.
A few things:
- The writing is very entertaining. Aside from Stephen King’s On Writing, this is the only creative writing book I actually enjoyed for its writing style. It’s witty and I really enjoyed that. Kudos to the author!
- I love how feminist and pro-diversity the author is.
- Particularly the parts on character development I found very useful. There were some excellent tips in there that I hadn’t read in any other books.
- The writer uses a lot of her own stuff in examples. I get that - this book is probably a way of promoting her novels - and it’s totally fine, but after 300 pages, it gets a bit tiresome. In addition, she always draws on the same book, so it becomes a little boring. I would have found it interesting if she had used more examples from books other than Hunger Games and Harry Potter (to which she refers a lot).
- I find that a lot of the writing tips (maybe 40% or 50% of the book) are very much oriented towards publishing. I don’t particularly agree on this. In my opinion and experience, a book should be written in the way the story needs to be written, not how an agent wants it to be. Much of the advice on structure was based on what editors, publishers and agents want. To me, this is very counter productive towards creativity. It feels like she’s advising writers to force-fit their stories in a mold. There’s also plenty of talk about how many words a chapter or book MUST be. Not my thing.
- Most of the advice is specifically applicable to adventure/fantasy novels. I don’t particularly enjoy writing that genre, so I found plenty of advice not useful. However, if you’re into adventure stuff, you’ll find heaps of good advice.
- It’s just so long and repetitive. The book could be 100 pages shorter and we wouldn’t miss too much info. Certain things are repeated again and again and again. So much so that I found myself quickly skipping through the endless appendix.
July 20, 2017
I really enjoyed These Paper Hearts. I'm writing a first draft at the moment, and it was both useful and practical. Beth Revis is simultaneously encouraging and realistic. Though I know this wasn't the publishing volume--which I might totally seek out if I ever feel like being published--she does talk quite a lot about the nature of publishing, which is cool. The writing isn't particularly polished, and I wasn't really a fan of the short chapters, but whatever, it got the message across and the message was a worthwhile message. The book is very novel and YA focused though, so don't ead this if you don't fit into either or both categories. I'm glad I read this--Revis has lots of useful things to say.
January 26, 2018
I've read a ton of craft books over the years, but PAPER HEARTS has become one of my new favorites. Equal parts craft guide and motivational tool for when the whole writing process seems overwhelming and the words just aren't flowing, it left me feeling a lot more confident and in control of my writing abilities. The handy charts, short chapters, and occasional dose of tough love didn't hurt either.
Plus, there are sequels devoted to publishing and marketing advice for once you've finished your manuscript, and those aspects of publishing are notoriously under-represented in most how-to guides. I know I'll be picking them up later on, once I've finished my latest project.
Plus, there are sequels devoted to publishing and marketing advice for once you've finished your manuscript, and those aspects of publishing are notoriously under-represented in most how-to guides. I know I'll be picking them up later on, once I've finished my latest project.
March 6, 2019
I read this book because it was recommended by a writing friend of mine, and I will definitely recommend it to others as well!
This book has plenty of advice for those who are new to writing, and those who are more experienced. It never felt condescending, and always encouraging.
I have been in a bit of a slump and this book helped me feel energized and ready to take on the blank page again. I loved it.
This book has plenty of advice for those who are new to writing, and those who are more experienced. It never felt condescending, and always encouraging.
I have been in a bit of a slump and this book helped me feel energized and ready to take on the blank page again. I loved it.
February 2, 2018
This book is a wonderful map for how to craft great stories. The advice is super-useful and so honest. I love how right up front the message is 'take what you can use and forget the rest'. I am not a writer, but I do see myself referencing this book as I develop the educational programs I present at work in order to make them more like a good narrative. Stories are more memorable than lectures.
July 13, 2019
i love this book especially the critique partner section, i thought nathan brandsford’s how to write a novel was the best one yet but beth’s book on writing beat it. love that this book is direct to the point and doesn’t beat around the bush and doesn’t tell you the overrated and mainstream advice on books. learned a lot from this one i have so much takeaways!
January 29, 2020
Practical advice with friendly humor
Revis addresses her readers as working writers with a wide variety of goals and stories to tell. She is never condescending, her humor lightens the inevitable truth of suffering and failure in store for all of us, and she knows when to be direct. I particularly enjoyed her examples, taken from her own experience and her wealth of reading.
Revis addresses her readers as working writers with a wide variety of goals and stories to tell. She is never condescending, her humor lightens the inevitable truth of suffering and failure in store for all of us, and she knows when to be direct. I particularly enjoyed her examples, taken from her own experience and her wealth of reading.
September 5, 2021
This was a mix of pep talk, here's how I write since everyone does it differently, and pro tips about the publishing industry — more of the first one than I personally would've liked, but there's some solid advice. Ironically, though, there are quite a few typos and grammatical mistakes which inevitably detract from the overall credibility.
June 24, 2017
Most enjoyable and useful craft book I've read. I'll be recommending this far and wide!
December 5, 2017
This is such a useful book that really makes you think about your own writing. It's helped me see where I've fallen short and how I can improve.
February 14, 2018
It's so hard to find good, YA focused writing craft books. This one had several things I'll try to implement.
January 31, 2019
Beth Revis seems fantastic and this is an entertaining and helpful entry guide to writing.
December 12, 2019
Best Advice I’ve received!
I’ve read plenty of books about writing and this is the best advice I’ve received. It’s straight to the point and it’s solid advice.
I’ve read plenty of books about writing and this is the best advice I’ve received. It’s straight to the point and it’s solid advice.
December 21, 2019
Helpful guide for new writers.
June 19, 2020
Great resource for new writers and even this old dog found some new tricks!
December 21, 2021
Some parts are slightly dated, but overall an excellent craft book that I would recommend to every writer I know (and some of them REALLY need it).
September 8, 2022
Excellent writing book!
December 14, 2022
This was a great little tip book, but not a superb source of info.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews