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A Wordy Woman's Guide for Writing a Book
Do you have an outstanding idea for a story, but have no clue where to start? Discover this STEP-BY-STEP guide for writing your first book.
A Wordy Woman’s Guide for Writing a Book is an informative workbook that helps you plan your first draft. Through a series of introspective prompts, develop your idea into a carefully structured plot with colorful characters. Dawn’s blueprint will revive your dream of writing a book.
Topics Covered
-THE BASICS OF WRITING
-GENERATING BOOK IDEAS
-DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GENRES
-STORY ELEMENTS
-TENSES AND PERSPECTIVES
-HOW CONFLICT BUILDS CHARACTER
-THREE ACT PLOT STRUCTURE
-INCITING INCIDENT
-CHAPTER OUTLINE
-DAILY WRITING GOALS
This game-changing workbook takes you from WHERE YOU ARE to WHERE YOU WANT TO BE. If you like woman-to-woman advice, easy to implement activities, and a COMPLETE GUIDE for writing your first book, then you’ll love Dawn’s valuable blueprint.
Buy A Wordy Woman’s Guide and begin your first book today!
A Wordy Woman’s Guide for Writing a Book is an informative workbook that helps you plan your first draft. Through a series of introspective prompts, develop your idea into a carefully structured plot with colorful characters. Dawn’s blueprint will revive your dream of writing a book.
Topics Covered
-THE BASICS OF WRITING
-GENERATING BOOK IDEAS
-DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GENRES
-STORY ELEMENTS
-TENSES AND PERSPECTIVES
-HOW CONFLICT BUILDS CHARACTER
-THREE ACT PLOT STRUCTURE
-INCITING INCIDENT
-CHAPTER OUTLINE
-DAILY WRITING GOALS
This game-changing workbook takes you from WHERE YOU ARE to WHERE YOU WANT TO BE. If you like woman-to-woman advice, easy to implement activities, and a COMPLETE GUIDE for writing your first book, then you’ll love Dawn’s valuable blueprint.
Buy A Wordy Woman’s Guide and begin your first book today!
- GenresNonfiction
112 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 8, 2018
1 person is currently reading
4 people want to read
About the author
Dawn Husted
8 books99 followersDawn Husted is the author of young-adult books written with romantic and dark twists. She was nominated as a panelist for Teen BookFest by the Bay V and is a member of SCBWI. Dawn’s written for online publications, such as Mother’s Day Magazine and A Backpacker’s Tale, and print magazines, such as Insite Magazine. When not writing, she's either camping or dreaming about hiking, minus the 100°F heat. She lives in central Texas with her husband, two kids, a feisty black cat, and an adorable golden retriever.
Among her many interests are sweet tea, wall calendars, kayaking on the rare occasion, acquiring another bookshelf that matches her old one, the color gray, and motivational quotes.
Among her many interests are sweet tea, wall calendars, kayaking on the rare occasion, acquiring another bookshelf that matches her old one, the color gray, and motivational quotes.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 21, 2018
So far, I have loved every book that I have read written by Dawn. When I had the opportunity to read her newest book, A Wordy Woman's Guide for Writing a Book, I was hesitant. One, I typically don't read non-fiction books and two, I never thought about writing a book. Or have I?
But that's exactly who this book is for—that person who just might be thinking about writing their first book but really doesn't know where or how to start.
As Dawn states at the beginning of her book "My goal is for this book to inspire other women who want to write their first fiction book."
Dawn works through the process, step-by-step, explaining each step in understandable detail. I loved how she used her books and books written by others to give examples of the different points she was trying to make.
After reading A Wordy Woman's Guide, I have a greater understanding and appreciation of all the hard work and thought that goes into an author penning a book. It's not just words flowing out of their heads onto the paper or computer. There is a method and steps to writing and Dawn does a wonderful job of laying it all out there. I know I'll be thinking about all that goes into creating a story the next time I'm reading someone's book.
And who knows, maybe I'll try my hand at writing a book someday. This would be the perfect tool to get me started.
But that's exactly who this book is for—that person who just might be thinking about writing their first book but really doesn't know where or how to start.
As Dawn states at the beginning of her book "My goal is for this book to inspire other women who want to write their first fiction book."
Dawn works through the process, step-by-step, explaining each step in understandable detail. I loved how she used her books and books written by others to give examples of the different points she was trying to make.
After reading A Wordy Woman's Guide, I have a greater understanding and appreciation of all the hard work and thought that goes into an author penning a book. It's not just words flowing out of their heads onto the paper or computer. There is a method and steps to writing and Dawn does a wonderful job of laying it all out there. I know I'll be thinking about all that goes into creating a story the next time I'm reading someone's book.
And who knows, maybe I'll try my hand at writing a book someday. This would be the perfect tool to get me started.
September 28, 2018
As an author, I'm asked the same question over and over from both strangers and friends. "How do you write a book?"
Well, Ms. Husted created a perfect resource for anyone who's ever thought about writing a book.
I wrote my first novel in 2015 and it took me hours of research to learn what's enclosed in this easy to read guide on how to write a book.
In addition to the plot outline, the author has also included some excellent titles that I have added to my "to read list." She also even plugged her own novel in there a few times. (A brilliant marketing idea).
Thank you Ms. Husted for providing my next answer when someone wants to 'pick my brain' about writing a novel.
Well, Ms. Husted created a perfect resource for anyone who's ever thought about writing a book.
I wrote my first novel in 2015 and it took me hours of research to learn what's enclosed in this easy to read guide on how to write a book.
In addition to the plot outline, the author has also included some excellent titles that I have added to my "to read list." She also even plugged her own novel in there a few times. (A brilliant marketing idea).
Thank you Ms. Husted for providing my next answer when someone wants to 'pick my brain' about writing a novel.
November 4, 2018
A Guide for Succinct Guys, Too!
I admit to being drawn to this book initially by the title – just what kind of guidance does a ‘wordy woman’ need to write a book? Don’t get lost in subplots? Of course, I suspected the title was intended to be catchy rather than descriptive of the intended audience. And after reading it, that’s true – succinct guys could use this guide as well.
The work is, simply put, a solid, beginner’s guide for writing a book. First, it defines and gives examples of much of the jargon you’ll hear around the writersphere. For example, if you immediately understand the sentence, “Third-person omniscient is less common than third-person limited,” then you may be able to skip some of the vocabulary. But knowing the words and using the concepts they represent are two different things and author Husted gives the reader a number of suggestions for generating book ideals, deriving plots, and developing characters. The book is also hands-on, featuring defined exercises, solutions often derived from one of the author’s books, and a place for working out your own ideas, if you get the paperback version. There are even spots where the author suggests taking a break!
My concerns about the book are minor. First, the author’s methods emphasize a structured, planned approach to writing (as opposed to a more ‘seat of the pants’ approach). For example, she suggests setting words-a-day and days-a-week goals. Then, with another estimate of overall book length, she can calculate when she’ll be done. Overall, A Wordy Woman’s Guide may work better for budding authors who are at home with this level of structure, because some may find the guidance intimidating or constraining rather than empowering. And even though the author says each person will have to find what works for him/her, there are enough words and exercises devoted to this approach that many may try to apply it ‘cookbook’. Second, there is a focus on books driven by ‘character arc’, e.g., the transformation of a person in the course of the story such as a coming-of-age tale. Most (if not all) books are a combination of character and plot-driven, and some works feature plot, e.g., a protagonist who changes little in the course of a story or even across stories in a series except for having met and mastered some challenge. The option of writing a primarily plot-driven story is difficult to recognize in this guide.
Overall, A Wordy Woman's Guide for Writing a Book is a solid, workbook-style aid for those who wish to write their first novel. And as the author (among others) wisely counsels, “Being a writer doesn’t mean waiting for inspiration to strike.” So, whether you’re wordy or succinct, if you have the inclination to write, then get this book and stop waiting for the perfect moment.
I admit to being drawn to this book initially by the title – just what kind of guidance does a ‘wordy woman’ need to write a book? Don’t get lost in subplots? Of course, I suspected the title was intended to be catchy rather than descriptive of the intended audience. And after reading it, that’s true – succinct guys could use this guide as well.
The work is, simply put, a solid, beginner’s guide for writing a book. First, it defines and gives examples of much of the jargon you’ll hear around the writersphere. For example, if you immediately understand the sentence, “Third-person omniscient is less common than third-person limited,” then you may be able to skip some of the vocabulary. But knowing the words and using the concepts they represent are two different things and author Husted gives the reader a number of suggestions for generating book ideals, deriving plots, and developing characters. The book is also hands-on, featuring defined exercises, solutions often derived from one of the author’s books, and a place for working out your own ideas, if you get the paperback version. There are even spots where the author suggests taking a break!
My concerns about the book are minor. First, the author’s methods emphasize a structured, planned approach to writing (as opposed to a more ‘seat of the pants’ approach). For example, she suggests setting words-a-day and days-a-week goals. Then, with another estimate of overall book length, she can calculate when she’ll be done. Overall, A Wordy Woman’s Guide may work better for budding authors who are at home with this level of structure, because some may find the guidance intimidating or constraining rather than empowering. And even though the author says each person will have to find what works for him/her, there are enough words and exercises devoted to this approach that many may try to apply it ‘cookbook’. Second, there is a focus on books driven by ‘character arc’, e.g., the transformation of a person in the course of the story such as a coming-of-age tale. Most (if not all) books are a combination of character and plot-driven, and some works feature plot, e.g., a protagonist who changes little in the course of a story or even across stories in a series except for having met and mastered some challenge. The option of writing a primarily plot-driven story is difficult to recognize in this guide.
Overall, A Wordy Woman's Guide for Writing a Book is a solid, workbook-style aid for those who wish to write their first novel. And as the author (among others) wisely counsels, “Being a writer doesn’t mean waiting for inspiration to strike.” So, whether you’re wordy or succinct, if you have the inclination to write, then get this book and stop waiting for the perfect moment.
September 17, 2018
As a debut author, I'm always searching for material that embraces the do's and don't s of writing. I may have published a book but there is still so much more I can learn. This book is an excellent guide for new writers, like myself. Its handles the obstacles you may experience in the process to getting your book to publishing stage. The author explains the differing methods writers use in their writing process and even mentions taking a break now and then to prevent writers block from creeping in and I'm definitely sure all authors may have experienced this somewhere along the line. She also explains a variety of terminology we new writers sometimes don't understand and makes use of sample writing to better understand these words.
Someone recently asked me whether I'm a pantser or a plotter and i couldn't quite provide an explanation since I sometimes sit down an plan a story and other times I just go with the flow of my idea as it forms in this ever thinking brain. That being said, the author focuses on the planning process and gives you an insight about planning and plotting.
The step by step guidance helps both new and more experienced writers, who may need some refreshers, with a well-laid path from basics to how that stage when you're ready to publish.
I enjoyed reading in and think I would've done well to have something similar as a ever-ready resource to help with my approach to writing my first book.
I highly recommend giving it a read especially when writers block drops on your porch for a visit.
Someone recently asked me whether I'm a pantser or a plotter and i couldn't quite provide an explanation since I sometimes sit down an plan a story and other times I just go with the flow of my idea as it forms in this ever thinking brain. That being said, the author focuses on the planning process and gives you an insight about planning and plotting.
The step by step guidance helps both new and more experienced writers, who may need some refreshers, with a well-laid path from basics to how that stage when you're ready to publish.
I enjoyed reading in and think I would've done well to have something similar as a ever-ready resource to help with my approach to writing my first book.
I highly recommend giving it a read especially when writers block drops on your porch for a visit.
September 6, 2018
This book is an excellent guide for new writers who might be confused by the many roadblocks to getting their works published. Husted includes definitions of numerous terms that could make a new writer's head spin. She also explores the different ways in which people begin the writing process and encourages her readers to take breaks every now and then in order to avoid writer's block. Additionally, I like the fact that she gives examples of actual writing to enhance her definitions. This brings her definitions alive rather than simply being flat words on a piece of paper.
She talks about the planning process and how she, as a writer, plans out most of her work, and contrasts that with what she calls "pantsers," i.e., those who write by the "seat of their pants." (I'm one of those.)
While as an experienced (and published) writer myself, I found this book to contain useful reminders and think the exercises Husted includes to be valuable for new and intermediate writers.
I read the Kindle version, but I would recommend that a new writer wishing to complete the exercises consider purchasing the paperback, because that might be a better way to make notes in the margins and to finish the suggested writing prompts.
She talks about the planning process and how she, as a writer, plans out most of her work, and contrasts that with what she calls "pantsers," i.e., those who write by the "seat of their pants." (I'm one of those.)
While as an experienced (and published) writer myself, I found this book to contain useful reminders and think the exercises Husted includes to be valuable for new and intermediate writers.
I read the Kindle version, but I would recommend that a new writer wishing to complete the exercises consider purchasing the paperback, because that might be a better way to make notes in the margins and to finish the suggested writing prompts.
October 3, 2018
My Review - A Wordy Woman's Guide by Dawn Husted
Starters guide to writing the first book!
The Good
This is an honest and factual account of how to embark on writing a book. It will benefit the novice who wants to start something new.
The Bad
The book is quite short but also compact and full of good tips like this one!
Don’t go overboard with the number of supporting characters (major characters) or you run the risk of confusing the reader.
Dawn Husted. A Wordy Woman's Guide for Writing a Book (Kindle Locations 415-416). Kindle Edition.
The Ugly
The sad fact of the matter is that few people self-publish to get rich. The author puts all the options of publishing into perspective. If you are just starting out this book will explain the types of fiction and terms such as HEA to you.
4 Stars
Starters guide to writing the first book!
The Good
This is an honest and factual account of how to embark on writing a book. It will benefit the novice who wants to start something new.
The Bad
The book is quite short but also compact and full of good tips like this one!
Don’t go overboard with the number of supporting characters (major characters) or you run the risk of confusing the reader.
Dawn Husted. A Wordy Woman's Guide for Writing a Book (Kindle Locations 415-416). Kindle Edition.
The Ugly
The sad fact of the matter is that few people self-publish to get rich. The author puts all the options of publishing into perspective. If you are just starting out this book will explain the types of fiction and terms such as HEA to you.
4 Stars
September 15, 2018
Dawn Husted makes writing seem not so daunting in this quick how-to guide. This is a straightforward, honest reflection of the author's own experience with writing and self-publishing. This book inspired me to get back to work on my own manuscript. If you have an idea for a book, no idea at all, or you're halfway done with a first draft, this is still a practical guide to help you in this process. Thanks, Dawn!
December 17, 2018
This well-written book is a nice handbook for the beginning novel writer. From breaking down the meaning of YA, Middle Grade, etc. to constructing an outline based on a three act structure. I found certain points to be a helpful reminder of things I needed to do. And though the title focuses on women, this book is truly for anyone who wants to learn the basics of novel writing. The author also includes some worthwhile exercises to help you on your way.
October 14, 2018
Easy and Logical way
Do you write? Do you want to finish a book? This book is a great way to structure your writing. It’s full of tips and examples and gives an easily doable plan to get your writing into a successful book. As a random writer, this book really helped me to get a logical handle on what I do instinctively. I hope to use The techniques to make my next books better.
Do you write? Do you want to finish a book? This book is a great way to structure your writing. It’s full of tips and examples and gives an easily doable plan to get your writing into a successful book. As a random writer, this book really helped me to get a logical handle on what I do instinctively. I hope to use The techniques to make my next books better.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews