A Little ABOUT WRITING by Suz deMello

Taking a break from talking about the Naughty Literati to boasting about my newest venture as an indie author. ABOUT WRITING is a handy little writing manual of interest to both new and advanced writers. Though it's been out only a short time, it's garnered a few nice five star reviews:

About Writing by Suz deMello is a small, but powerful book for beginners and experienced writers alike. This little book is an excellent reference to remind all authors of the goals of becoming a better author... Ms. deMello explains in clear language and with excellent examples the building blocks of writing. She offers excellent ideas for developing characters, plot, conflict... I believe the most important message in this book is “everything in a story should contribute to it, from the biggest monster to the tiniest comma.” I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in improving their writing. Keep it close and read it often.

***

I was given this book as an ARC for an honest review. Suz deMello wrote a fantastic primer for the beginning writer, but it should not be overlooked by the more experienced. It's nice to have go to guide to touch on the things easily forgotten. She touches on everything from character arc to plot points. This is an excellent book to have in your craft library.

You'll find both of these reviews at the Amazon sales Page for ABOUT WRITING:

 http://tinyurl.com/SDM-AbtWritng      

It's in both print and digital forms, so whatever your preference, there's an edition for you!

Here's a snippet:

There are three rules to writing a novel.

Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.

--Somerset Maugham

For decades, I sensed a creative spark glowing feebly inside me. I tried

everything I could to nurture that tiny ember and fan it into a blaze. I sang in concert choirs and rock bands. I painted and made craft projects; I remember buying Styrofoam balls, rick-rack and sequins one Christmas when I was about nine. I recall how great I felt when Mrs. Elliott, my friend Dru's mother, bought one of my primitive ornaments for a whole thirty-five cents.

Later I majored in art without, alas, a shred of talent at drawing. The leap from pen to brush didn't come easily—some say I never bridged that gap.

My preference for the pen was a sign I ignored or didn't know how to interpret. And unfortunately, creative writing units in middle school English classes didn't help. They never answered this basic question: How does an author write a book?

Unfortunately for aspiring authors, this is not an easy question to answer. It’s tantamount to asking, Where do authors get their ideas? which, believe me, is our least favorite question. I often tell people I get them at Sears—they’re sold by the dozen in the basement between the barbecues and the bikes.

I needed years of study to learn how to write a story, but ideas are actually the easiest part of it. I find them almost anywhere. Maybe a magazine article about a place or event. Perhaps someone I meet or something a person says may trigger a train of thought that will eventually lead to a book. Maybe travel to someplace new ignites the creative spark that will inspire me.

Here’s a better question: What are the building blocks of plot and story?

CHARACTER AND CONFLICT

How important are these? Quite simply: No characters, no conflict. No conflict, no plot. No plot, no story. No story, no book.

Hope you love what you read and will buy the book. I'm really very proud of it.