Everything the other books have and a little more - Rated 
I really like the book. It is about the mechanics of writing and doesn't have chapters on how to sit yourself down and whether you need a computer or not. This for me was very good. The book tells you how to go about picking faults in your manuscript and then correcting them. I bought a fair few books of this ilk trying to get the sort of info i wanted and whilst this isn't the onlt one that had it, it did have everything and all weel presented and easy to understand. I don't really do the exercises offered but the examples are very good and really get the point across.
If you need a book on the mechanics of writing then this is a good one.
Brilliant - Rated
Just a quick review. Can't add anymore than has already been said. I purchased a few how to write books searching for the Holy Grail, and now I think i've found it. Great how they give examples throughout the book. Other books I enjoyed were Steven King "On Writing" and "How to write a damn good novel" for the basics.
The Ideal Self Editing Guide - Rated
Writers of fiction need look no further. Acquire a copy of Self Editing, read it, mark it, digest it, apply it. Sorry, Amazon, but once a writer has Browne and King to guide them, no other book is necessary. My personal thanks to Renni and Dave. I intended writing to them years ago. My own two books, unpublished at that stage, were in dire need of self-editing, and now they're published, and available on this site.
Like Terri Pine, I discovered new depths of self-deprecation when I re-read the manuscripts. Others to whom I have recommended the book have felt the same. Three cheers for Self Editing.
Very helpful! - Rated
There's not much I can fault about this book. It's written in a friendly and easy-to-access sorta way, that didn't leave me (a beginner) feeling intimidated or overly patronized. The content is logically organized into various chapters, each of which are full of excellent examples detailing common errors, and what can be done to improve (as well as showing you examples of finished versions). There are also a lot of practical tips to help you identify areas in your writing that need improving.
I haven't finished my story yet, but I am very much pleased that I gave this book a try, as even though it is aimed at editing your work, it is still an excellent and very useful read for work-in-progress. Many of the points raised I have noticed already in my own writing, and have already begun to apply stratergies described to help me improve.
A "How to Write Better" guide which works - Rated
This is a outstanding little book for writers who are serious about improving their fiction writing. It has detailed chapters on "Show and Tell", "Point of View", "Dialogue Mechanics", "Interior Monologue" and other techniques which will help make your writing more professional. Each theme is illustrated with entertaining examples and each chapter includes writing exercises. So having worked your way through the text, you actually remember what the authors told you. The book is also extremely readable and admirably concise. Conclusion: definitely worth buying if you want to improve your writing.
|
