Jefferson Scott

This is very much a beginner's book. It offered tips for specifically Nanowrimo participants on how to plan your novel before writing it and how to start the publication process once it is written, but offers very little in terms of actually doing the writing. There were a couple of good points, but most of the information you can easily find for free online.

He starts the book talking about how the only true rule to a good novel is to engage the reader, then goes on to impose many rules. He will say it doesn't need to be written in a particular way then describe exactly how he thinks it should be done as if it is the only correct way to write. It was incredibly easy to see his personal opinions and political/religious views as well.

In all, it wasn't all terrible information, as some of it was good, but it was executed poorly.… (meer)

So this is a book that focuses on the beginning of your novel. I don’t have any hard evidence, but it does seem like that’s a keystone in getting published. I’ve never heard of slushkillers starting at a random point in the manuscript for the yay-or-nay vote.

I’d say this is a useful book. The amount read per item of information learned ratio wasn’t great–lots of writing books talk about beginnings at length–but there are some key things to know. And as usual, grains of salt are recommended as a side dish. Because if you do come up with something that ticks all the boxes of a good first 13,000 words, it’s going to be… pretty boring, I imagine. I’m rather fortunate in that I usually know how a book should begin. Whether that’s the way editors/agents want it, whether it’s the best way or most attractive way, not so sure.

It’s not a slog to read at least. It’s enjoyable and not too long. There is padding, like “why you should want the beginning to be great” and “the do nots of beginnings” that don’t help you to actually do. If you condensed it to the actual helpful content, it would be as big as a pamphlet. Of course, that’s true of any book. So yeah, I’d say writers should pick this up. I don’t know if it’ll increase your chances of being published, but it couldn’t hurt.… (meer)