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Fiction Unboxed
Part hero’s journey, part crash course in storytelling by the modern mavericks of indie publishing, and the bestselling authors of Write. Publish. Repeat., Fiction Unboxed offers something that’s never been offered before: a naked look into two writer’s process, as they wrote and published a book in 30 days, from scratch, in front of the world.
In 2013 Sean Platt & Johnny B. Truant wrote and published 1.5 million words (a Harry Potter series and a half worth of fiction). The next year they showed the world how they did it.
In May 2014, Johnny and Sean, along with their third partner David Wright, launched a Kickstarter campaign to see if their fans wanted to see how they wrote behind closed doors. They promised to start their newest project without knowing their story, characters, or even their genre, and publish the final draft before their 30 days were up. They promised to capture every email, every story meeting, and every word from every draft. They promised to show every molecule of their process, warts and all.
They had 30 days for their fans to green light the campaign. It fully funded in 11 hours. Fiction Unboxed is as revealing as it is inspiring, empowering readers and writers as much as it will entertain them. With actionable advice that will benefit any writer, this book is a true gem for anyone who loves a well told story.
In 2013 Sean Platt & Johnny B. Truant wrote and published 1.5 million words (a Harry Potter series and a half worth of fiction). The next year they showed the world how they did it.
In May 2014, Johnny and Sean, along with their third partner David Wright, launched a Kickstarter campaign to see if their fans wanted to see how they wrote behind closed doors. They promised to start their newest project without knowing their story, characters, or even their genre, and publish the final draft before their 30 days were up. They promised to capture every email, every story meeting, and every word from every draft. They promised to show every molecule of their process, warts and all.
They had 30 days for their fans to green light the campaign. It fully funded in 11 hours. Fiction Unboxed is as revealing as it is inspiring, empowering readers and writers as much as it will entertain them. With actionable advice that will benefit any writer, this book is a true gem for anyone who loves a well told story.
Audible Audio
First published November 20, 2014
48 people are currently reading
273 people want to read
About the author
Johnny B. Truant
193 books693 followersJohnny B. Truant is an author, blogger, and podcaster who, like the Ramones, was long denied induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame despite having a large cult following. He makes his online home at JohnnyBTruant.com and is the author of the Unicorn Western series, the Fat Vampire series, The Bialy Pimps, and a handful of other properties and growing every week.
You can connect with Johnny on Twitter at @JohnnyBTruant, and you should totally send him an email from JohnnyBTruant.com if the mood strikes you.
You can connect with Johnny on Twitter at @JohnnyBTruant, and you should totally send him an email from JohnnyBTruant.com if the mood strikes you.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
June 14, 2015
I think this book's appreciation largely depends on the audience's experience listening to the Self Publishing Podcast, whether or not they have read The Dream Engine, whether or not they are looking to do a Kickstarter campaign any time soon, and whether or not they plan to utilize all the free (or paid) tools that expand upon this recounting of the Fiction Unboxed project. I think I fell into the worst category of listeners because I listen to their podcast regularly, so I've heard much of the recap of this experience, especially the Kickstarter campaign struggles and lessons learned. I almost skipped the first part because I didn't want to hear that recap again. It's okay that I didn't because there was some new reflections in there.
That could summarize my thoughts on the book as a whole: while most felt like a rehashing of what I'd already heard on their show, they are still my favorite group of writers to hear talk about the process of writing, so it's a good book, but I could have gone without the repetitive inspiration. I mean, some inspiration is good to hear twice, but I would have rather listened to their latest six episodes than listen to this.
If you are not like me and have not heard what they encountered on this monumental Kickstart project of writing a book from scratch in thirty days, then definitely give it a listen. Their podcast isn't as cohesive as this, so it is actually a very good recap.
The Dream Engine sounds like a great book, but I wish I had read it before listening to them discussing plot points. I almost stopped this audiobook again when I heard about a plot point I thought was very cool. They gave forewarning, but my reading schedule didn't have time to put this down and read DE prior to continuing. My loss, truly. These guys are super talented authors, and it sounds like DE will be great. That said, it wasn't as enjoyable listening to story points and what they decided to do or not do without having the context of having read the story.
Lastly, this Fiction Unboxed experience is really best suited for someone, I think, who has a lot of free time to read DE, then watch all the videos and special free bonuses on their website as they break down scene by scene and whatnot. This feels more like a college writing course that I tried to experience in the few hours available in this audiobook, and lacked achieving the potential it would have offered had I done all the extras, made writing exercises comparing what they did with my work in progress, and probably most important, had I been involved from the beginning, where I could have seen what they did each day, both in writing and in marketing.
As far as authors go that aspiring authors should follow and take note of, Platt, Truant and Wright are near the top of the leaders of the indie author revolution. Listening to this book with no other plans on following up on the extras, or if you haven't read The Dream Engine prior, and if you've already listened to every podcast during their time working on this project may not be the best method to enjoy this stage of their advice.
That could summarize my thoughts on the book as a whole: while most felt like a rehashing of what I'd already heard on their show, they are still my favorite group of writers to hear talk about the process of writing, so it's a good book, but I could have gone without the repetitive inspiration. I mean, some inspiration is good to hear twice, but I would have rather listened to their latest six episodes than listen to this.
If you are not like me and have not heard what they encountered on this monumental Kickstart project of writing a book from scratch in thirty days, then definitely give it a listen. Their podcast isn't as cohesive as this, so it is actually a very good recap.
The Dream Engine sounds like a great book, but I wish I had read it before listening to them discussing plot points. I almost stopped this audiobook again when I heard about a plot point I thought was very cool. They gave forewarning, but my reading schedule didn't have time to put this down and read DE prior to continuing. My loss, truly. These guys are super talented authors, and it sounds like DE will be great. That said, it wasn't as enjoyable listening to story points and what they decided to do or not do without having the context of having read the story.Lastly, this Fiction Unboxed experience is really best suited for someone, I think, who has a lot of free time to read DE, then watch all the videos and special free bonuses on their website as they break down scene by scene and whatnot. This feels more like a college writing course that I tried to experience in the few hours available in this audiobook, and lacked achieving the potential it would have offered had I done all the extras, made writing exercises comparing what they did with my work in progress, and probably most important, had I been involved from the beginning, where I could have seen what they did each day, both in writing and in marketing.
As far as authors go that aspiring authors should follow and take note of, Platt, Truant and Wright are near the top of the leaders of the indie author revolution. Listening to this book with no other plans on following up on the extras, or if you haven't read The Dream Engine prior, and if you've already listened to every podcast during their time working on this project may not be the best method to enjoy this stage of their advice.
October 13, 2018
I bought this book because I was interested in reading about the creative process these authors have for writing their fiction. I've read their non-fiction, but not their fiction, nonetheless I found the book to be useful for understanding the creative process. It helped me look at my own creative process for writing fiction, and look at ways I could improve it. I think what I would have wished for, with this book, was a look at how that particular fiction series did after it was written, and what they did to make it successful or not.
January 3, 2015
Always fascinating to read about the process of writing. Recommended for authors wanting to hack their process.
January 5, 2026
About a decade ago, a group of writers took on this outlandish experiment: write their book with the whole world watching and have it go from ideas to published in 30 days. Very risky, but these ideas were common back in the 2010’s when indie publishing was rising and finding ways to make a mark on the world. Part of me feared that the book would be terribly dated, but outside of a few small sections, everything is still relevant as it’s more about making the wiring process work for you and work on timeless principles instead of trends. Each chapter goes in detail about the parts of the ideation of the idea to gauging interest to actually writing the book. There are spoilers to their book, The Dream Engine, which was the subject of the experiment, so you might want to read that first if you don’t want to be spoiled. I seriously enjoyed some of the nonsense the group gets themselves in (profanity included) and it’s easy to relate to them as we see that writers are not these demigods as culture can often cast them as. Published and famous authors have the same struggles as the newbie, and it’s an easy way to take their lessons to heart. At the end of each chapter is a takeaway lesson and some action steps you can use in your own process, which is appreciated, since sometimes, the full chapters could be a lot to take in. If you’re either brand new to writing or in a big slump, this might help you get out of your funk.
Side note, Sean Platt narrates the book while reading Johnny B. Truant’s words, so it was a little funny to hear Sean refer to himself in the third person and his writing partner in the first person.
*I purchased my copy on Kickstarter.*
Side note, Sean Platt narrates the book while reading Johnny B. Truant’s words, so it was a little funny to hear Sean refer to himself in the third person and his writing partner in the first person.
*I purchased my copy on Kickstarter.*
February 12, 2015
I really enjoyed the latest addition to Johnny and Sean's growing nonfiction catalog.
What this book is:
The book Fiction Unboxed follows Johnny B Truant and Sean Platt, from start to finish, as they plan and write The Dream Enginefor the Fiction Unboxed campaign.
They talk about every element of the project from starting the KickStarter campaign to brainstorming to writing in detail.
What this book isn't:
This isn't a "how to" book. While there are "take aways" at the end of each chapter, this book is not instructional. You will not find a "This is how you develop beats" or "This is how you run a kickstarter" chapter anywhere in this book.
Why I think this book is a good addition to any writer's reference self:
Writing fiction is not a tangible skill. Even with the best "how to" books there's still a lot of the process that can't be laid out in easy to follow steps. Fiction Unboxed gives you a peak into the head of one (okay two) author's head for the full process of writing a book. By "watching" some of the "magic" of writing is dispelled, and you can apply some of their techniques to your own process.
I highly recommend the book.
What this book is:
The book Fiction Unboxed follows Johnny B Truant and Sean Platt, from start to finish, as they plan and write The Dream Enginefor the Fiction Unboxed campaign.
They talk about every element of the project from starting the KickStarter campaign to brainstorming to writing in detail.
What this book isn't:
This isn't a "how to" book. While there are "take aways" at the end of each chapter, this book is not instructional. You will not find a "This is how you develop beats" or "This is how you run a kickstarter" chapter anywhere in this book.
Why I think this book is a good addition to any writer's reference self:
Writing fiction is not a tangible skill. Even with the best "how to" books there's still a lot of the process that can't be laid out in easy to follow steps. Fiction Unboxed gives you a peak into the head of one (okay two) author's head for the full process of writing a book. By "watching" some of the "magic" of writing is dispelled, and you can apply some of their techniques to your own process.
I highly recommend the book.
October 19, 2018
Totally loved this romp with the trio! Some very reassuring insight into the fact that my process, boiled down, looks an awful lot like this lot's, with the exception of not currently having such regular collaborative partners. Great stuff, highly recommend to anyone who wants to write (especially fiction) for a living.
February 21, 2015
I really didn't know how I was going to take Fiction Unboxed. The reason being is that I was one of those SPP listeners who didn't quite get the project at the time. After reading this accompanying book I not only regret not getting involved but I also need to mention how brave Johnny and Sean are for putting their raw writing out there like they did. I won't have the nerve to do it.
The book begins with the why's and how's of the project. It's nice to hear the thought processes of the guys as to why they did what they did, where they came up with the costings and what it is they wanted to achieve from it all.
Where I really loved the book, and this is coming from a writers perspective, was when the discussion turned towards the nitty gritty details of the story meetings, the graft behind the writing and the bumps along the way. It was refreshing to see how these accomplished writers hit road blocks and the ways they navigate around them. This is not only of interest to writers though as readers of the guys fiction will love hearing how they create and learning more about their writing process. It adds a whole new layer of entertainment for fans.
The project had it's backers and it's non-backers and still does but it's hard to deny the fact that this was a unique and wonderful writer project. Something that is both brave and immense in scale and that has been a resounding success in terms of highlighting what it is to create something from nothing and the work needed to do it.
For me, this is a perfect follow up to Write, Publish, Repeat and all writers, indie or not, should read both books cover to cover as soon as they can.
The book begins with the why's and how's of the project. It's nice to hear the thought processes of the guys as to why they did what they did, where they came up with the costings and what it is they wanted to achieve from it all.
Where I really loved the book, and this is coming from a writers perspective, was when the discussion turned towards the nitty gritty details of the story meetings, the graft behind the writing and the bumps along the way. It was refreshing to see how these accomplished writers hit road blocks and the ways they navigate around them. This is not only of interest to writers though as readers of the guys fiction will love hearing how they create and learning more about their writing process. It adds a whole new layer of entertainment for fans.
The project had it's backers and it's non-backers and still does but it's hard to deny the fact that this was a unique and wonderful writer project. Something that is both brave and immense in scale and that has been a resounding success in terms of highlighting what it is to create something from nothing and the work needed to do it.
For me, this is a perfect follow up to Write, Publish, Repeat and all writers, indie or not, should read both books cover to cover as soon as they can.
September 8, 2016
Praticamente uma continuação do livro anterior deles, Write. Publish. Repeat.. Dessa vez, eles falam mais sobre o processo que utilizaram para escrever, editar e publicar um livro de ficção dentro de 30 dias.
A primeira parte, que fala sobre a campanha que os autores fizeram no Kickstarter, foi a que menos me agradou. Além disso, como no livro anterior, eles tendem a ser prolixos, com muitos desvios do tópico principal que acabam tornando enfadonhas algumas partes da leitura.
No entanto, eles contam detalhadamente o que fizeram nesses 30 dias, desde o brainstorm inicial das ideias para criar a história. Também é possível ter acesso aos vídeos completos e transcrições de toda a empreitada (foi tudo escrito ao vivo para o público que apoiou a campanha). Ou seja, tem muitos ensinamentos fantásticos aí, como ideias e pontos de vista alternativos para aprender coisas novas.
A primeira parte, que fala sobre a campanha que os autores fizeram no Kickstarter, foi a que menos me agradou. Além disso, como no livro anterior, eles tendem a ser prolixos, com muitos desvios do tópico principal que acabam tornando enfadonhas algumas partes da leitura.
No entanto, eles contam detalhadamente o que fizeram nesses 30 dias, desde o brainstorm inicial das ideias para criar a história. Também é possível ter acesso aos vídeos completos e transcrições de toda a empreitada (foi tudo escrito ao vivo para o público que apoiou a campanha). Ou seja, tem muitos ensinamentos fantásticos aí, como ideias e pontos de vista alternativos para aprender coisas novas.
July 31, 2021
Here's the second-most indispensable book about writing that I own, after "Write, Publish, Repeat," by the same authors. This pseudo-sequel chronicles Johnny B. Truant and Sean Platt's successful Kickstarter campaign to "give a concert for writing" by conceiving, outlining, drafting, editing, and publishing a novel from start to finish in only 30 days, as the world watched.
All story meetings were recorded and streamed. Each day's raw words were shared with their fans, along with the revised text. Story problems were encountered, and brilliantly solved. Despite being a backer of the original Kickstarter, this behind-the-scenes chronicle taught me a lot about the power of creative collaboration. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to tell stories.
All story meetings were recorded and streamed. Each day's raw words were shared with their fans, along with the revised text. Story problems were encountered, and brilliantly solved. Despite being a backer of the original Kickstarter, this behind-the-scenes chronicle taught me a lot about the power of creative collaboration. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to tell stories.
September 2, 2017
Me ha gustado mucho este libro que narra el experimento que realizaron en 2014 los autores de Sterling and Stone con la creación, escritura y edición de un libro en treinta días. Su proceso no es para todo el mundo y no tiene nada que ver con el mío, pero hay muchos aspectos que se pueden incorporar, sea en el mío o el tuyo. Sin embargo, lo más importante que sacarás de este libro es que no eres el único/a que tiene dudas cuando está escribiendo, que se bloquea a veces y que no sabe si su historia llegará a buen termino. En Fiction Unboxed, puedes ver cómo otros escritores tienen los mismos problemas que tú. Muy recomendable.
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May 23, 2019This book blew me away. Sean Platt and Johnny Truant (and David Wright) blow me away.
Filled with inspiration and insight into an author duo's process unavailable anywhere else. If you are a storyteller, READ THIS (or listen to the audiobook, which I did, and which is narrated by an awesome British guy). It will undoubtedly make you want to read their YA novel, THE DREAM ENGINE, but the main magic of this book is hearing their story unfold at a break-neck yet brilliantly developed pace.
Filled with inspiration and insight into an author duo's process unavailable anywhere else. If you are a storyteller, READ THIS (or listen to the audiobook, which I did, and which is narrated by an awesome British guy). It will undoubtedly make you want to read their YA novel, THE DREAM ENGINE, but the main magic of this book is hearing their story unfold at a break-neck yet brilliantly developed pace.
December 18, 2014
I really enjoyed this account of an experiment in social authoring. Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant describe what it was like, highlights and pitfalls alike, to write a novel from concept idea to published ebook in thirty days while people/viewers/readers/fans watched via video and blog posts. An interesting and informative peek into one collaboration's process.
September 11, 2020
An 'unboxing' of how these authors managed to develop, write, and publish a book in 30 days, all the while in front of an actual audience, in real time. There are a couple takeaways from this book that I believe readers get out of it only if they 1) listen regularly to Truant's and Platt's podcast or at least took part in the Fiction Unboxed campaign, and 2) actually read the book in question, The Dream Engine. I did neither.
But I still got some interesting tidbits out of this, in regards to the writing process of a couple of fellow writers.
What this is definitely not is a 'how to write a book in 30 days'. This is simply the recounting of the specific experience these specific writers had in attempting it. As long as you approach this with that in mind, you'll make out fine.
Join the RK King readers' list for an exclusive FREE short story, plus inside info, musings, promos and more: RK King Writes
But I still got some interesting tidbits out of this, in regards to the writing process of a couple of fellow writers.
What this is definitely not is a 'how to write a book in 30 days'. This is simply the recounting of the specific experience these specific writers had in attempting it. As long as you approach this with that in mind, you'll make out fine.
Join the RK King readers' list for an exclusive FREE short story, plus inside info, musings, promos and more: RK King Writes
May 21, 2017
Putting Integrity Before Dollars
Believe me the guys at Sterling and Stone are quite financially successful, but this book makes it clear that their success comes from a passion for storytelling and a commitment to their vision of whom they believe they are. Read this, if you want to know how to make the indie path a path to self-fulfillment.
Believe me the guys at Sterling and Stone are quite financially successful, but this book makes it clear that their success comes from a passion for storytelling and a commitment to their vision of whom they believe they are. Read this, if you want to know how to make the indie path a path to self-fulfillment.
October 8, 2017
Unique Premise
Five stars for such a unique premise. Following along as someone writes a book was really enjoyable. Almost felt too short; I might have to go watch the Fiction Unboxed videos and other resources.
Five stars for such a unique premise. Following along as someone writes a book was really enjoyable. Almost felt too short; I might have to go watch the Fiction Unboxed videos and other resources.
November 22, 2017
Real look into the writer's process
Exactly what title says it is, a look into the writer's workshop. Great for the writer looking for their path or process, and would like a example. This is the type of book we hope for when reading writer's biographies.
Exactly what title says it is, a look into the writer's workshop. Great for the writer looking for their path or process, and would like a example. This is the type of book we hope for when reading writer's biographies.
October 6, 2017
Meandering and self-congratulatory, there’s not much to take away from this beyond that the creative process is equal parts starts and stops but the key is to keep plugging away.
July 23, 2020
If you are interested in self-publishing, this is definitely a good read for you.
October 15, 2020
This is more of "the story of how we did this" than a full on nuts and bolts guide filled with examples, but there's enough here to work with, and the authors are entertaining enough.
May 2, 2021
Self aggrandising wiffle
Intensive exercise in self important "we are crazy" piffle. Didn't need to get as far as "we homeschool" to realise this..but did
Intensive exercise in self important "we are crazy" piffle. Didn't need to get as far as "we homeschool" to realise this..but did
June 23, 2015
A fun and interesting read. This is the story of how the duo of Platt and Truant wrote The Dream Engine (see my review of that book for more info without spoilers) from only the smallest seed of an idea to published on Kindle all during the month of June 2014. It was interesting to see their process, from the first story meeting, to how Platt plans the "story beats" and then Truant follows the path that they make to the tune of as much as 12,000 written words a day, to Platt editing, to Truant polishing the final text, all with lots of discussion and story meetings along the way. And their talent shines through in this book as the re-telling of this month of their lives is filled with conflict, drama and tension. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in writing fast, working in duos, self publishing, e-publishing or world building.
I didn't jive with it completely mostly because of differences in style and philosophy. Regarding style, I think I'm more of a planner and would say that I create the worlds that I write in. These guys do plan, but loosely, and made clear how they view the writing process more as discovering the story that the characters and the world are telling them. Also, regarding planning, they are fans of what I call the "Hatch Method" (as in the hatch introduced in season 1 of the TV show LOST): that is throwing something into the narrative that you have no idea what it means or the significance of it just to create some excitement and give you something to build off of. I don't think I could ever create such a central plot point without knowing what it meant to future books/episodes.
After reading this I'm not in as big of a huff about The Dream Engine not having a proper ending (i.e. it being the first book in a series rather than a stand alone novel) as I was in my review of it. In reading this book I see that wasn't what the purpose of this experiment was, that stand-alone vs. series opener didn't matter, it was more about the process and the speed and I'm fine with that now. However, I still have a problem with the execution of the ending that The Dream Engine did have; that the climax was kind of a let down and that what should have been the most exciting part of the book was skipped completely.
Finally, after reading about the aftermath of the project I will say that I'm very excited about the next two planned books in the series. As I said in my review of The Dream Engine, I think the book stands up well as Act I/setup of the larger story arc and I'm excited to finally get to it. Also, I'm pretty sure I will be reading their other non-fiction book (Write Publish Repeat) soon and I've since become a big fan of their podcast (the Self Publishing Podcast) as well.
I didn't jive with it completely mostly because of differences in style and philosophy. Regarding style, I think I'm more of a planner and would say that I create the worlds that I write in. These guys do plan, but loosely, and made clear how they view the writing process more as discovering the story that the characters and the world are telling them. Also, regarding planning, they are fans of what I call the "Hatch Method" (as in the hatch introduced in season 1 of the TV show LOST): that is throwing something into the narrative that you have no idea what it means or the significance of it just to create some excitement and give you something to build off of. I don't think I could ever create such a central plot point without knowing what it meant to future books/episodes.
After reading this I'm not in as big of a huff about The Dream Engine not having a proper ending (i.e. it being the first book in a series rather than a stand alone novel) as I was in my review of it. In reading this book I see that wasn't what the purpose of this experiment was, that stand-alone vs. series opener didn't matter, it was more about the process and the speed and I'm fine with that now. However, I still have a problem with the execution of the ending that The Dream Engine did have; that the climax was kind of a let down and that what should have been the most exciting part of the book was skipped completely.
Finally, after reading about the aftermath of the project I will say that I'm very excited about the next two planned books in the series. As I said in my review of The Dream Engine, I think the book stands up well as Act I/setup of the larger story arc and I'm excited to finally get to it. Also, I'm pretty sure I will be reading their other non-fiction book (Write Publish Repeat) soon and I've since become a big fan of their podcast (the Self Publishing Podcast) as well.
February 25, 2017
I want to say 3.5, almost 4, but I think I'll settle on the 3 stars rating because... I was torn with this book.
The first 30% of the book, as well as the last 10%, was unimpressive. It was all about how they came about and dealt with the kickstarter (and the last 10% was about the summits they held afterwards for the backers), all of which I had no interest whatsoever and felt was not really related to unboxing fiction at all, but simply recounting how they'd worked things out. And that's fine, but I kind of expected the book to be all about writing, not about how to run kickstarter campaigns for complex writerly-related things.
Now, the rest of the book was about the writing, but I kept going back and forth between feeling annoyed by the way it was all just told and not actually shown, and liking it.
On the one hand, I did enjoy the way they told the story, On the other, that still didn't solve most of the part they mention themselves of making the book of real value or use to the writers by showing how they worked without having to see the videos.
So, there was some value in the content, yes, but it felt like if you weren't following along with the videos, you missed out on MOST of what they were trying to show and get across.
Also I feel like I missed out too by not reading The Dream Engine first, because the way we're told things sort of assumes we've already read, seen, or know most of it. Not all sections do, but most, particularly at the start.
Another thing was that the whole thing (of course) counts on them working as a group like they always do and being able to brainstorm among each other, so I'm not sure for a single author, with no group and no buddies willing to brainstorm with them, this would be of much use.
So while Fiction Unboxed (the book alone, with no videos or anything) had some interesting lessons to teach, it wasn't really as useful as I expected it to be. I think this would be easily solved catching up with the videos and reading The Dream Engine, but ultimately I ended up feeling just a bit disappointed with the book.
All the same, it relates an interesting experience, and it's at the very least worth it for that.
The first 30% of the book, as well as the last 10%, was unimpressive. It was all about how they came about and dealt with the kickstarter (and the last 10% was about the summits they held afterwards for the backers), all of which I had no interest whatsoever and felt was not really related to unboxing fiction at all, but simply recounting how they'd worked things out. And that's fine, but I kind of expected the book to be all about writing, not about how to run kickstarter campaigns for complex writerly-related things.
Now, the rest of the book was about the writing, but I kept going back and forth between feeling annoyed by the way it was all just told and not actually shown, and liking it.
On the one hand, I did enjoy the way they told the story, On the other, that still didn't solve most of the part they mention themselves of making the book of real value or use to the writers by showing how they worked without having to see the videos.
So, there was some value in the content, yes, but it felt like if you weren't following along with the videos, you missed out on MOST of what they were trying to show and get across.
Also I feel like I missed out too by not reading The Dream Engine first, because the way we're told things sort of assumes we've already read, seen, or know most of it. Not all sections do, but most, particularly at the start.
Another thing was that the whole thing (of course) counts on them working as a group like they always do and being able to brainstorm among each other, so I'm not sure for a single author, with no group and no buddies willing to brainstorm with them, this would be of much use.
So while Fiction Unboxed (the book alone, with no videos or anything) had some interesting lessons to teach, it wasn't really as useful as I expected it to be. I think this would be easily solved catching up with the videos and reading The Dream Engine, but ultimately I ended up feeling just a bit disappointed with the book.
All the same, it relates an interesting experience, and it's at the very least worth it for that.
January 2, 2015
I have been a long time listener of The Self Publishing Podcast and although by the time I heard about the guys doing their Kickstarter campaign to write a book live in thirty days, I did get the finished product through Audible and it was amazing! So I was thrilled to hear that they took their live writing experience and put it into the written word and published it as Fiction Unboxed: How Two Authors Wrote and Published a Book in 30 Days from Scratch, in Front of the World. It was a great read! Even though I had not been able to actually look over their shoulders during the real thing, I still felt like I got that experience reading about it. The way Fiction Unboxed was crafted, the way Johnny and Sean use words makes you feel like you are right there with them. Throughout my reading I was able to pull out words of wisdom that I highlighted to go back to later, to jot down in my own writing notebook to reference later. What I liked best were the takeaways and the things you could do right now at the end of each chapter. I had my own way of outlining my chapters and after listening to Johnny, Sean, and David talk about beats for so long and seeing how they were broken down here and then being challenged to write my own . . .I took the challenge for the first chapter of my new novel and liked how it felt and how it helped my to focus my chapter and all I had to do was add the dialogue, detail and that little extra to make it all come alive.
I have read a lot fiction from this creative team. I have read their first nonfiction book: Write. Publish. Repeat.and I listen to their podcast regularly and I have learned so much from them, not to mention the entertainment factor. I highly recommend not only reading what they write, but experiencing them on every level they have to offer.
I have read a lot fiction from this creative team. I have read their first nonfiction book: Write. Publish. Repeat.and I listen to their podcast regularly and I have learned so much from them, not to mention the entertainment factor. I highly recommend not only reading what they write, but experiencing them on every level they have to offer.
December 3, 2014
Something of a sequel to Write. Publish. Repeat! and a thorough recounting of the process leading up to and through the development and completion of their novel The Dream Engine (TDE)--disclaimer, I have not yet read TDE. While it's suggested near the start of the book to read TDE before reading Fiction Unboxed, I'd suggest that reading TDE first is really necessary; otherwise, the rambling discussions about the inner workings of the characters and plot over the course of writing it won't make much sense other than at a surface level. As a writer reading this, I 'got' what Platt and Truant were getting at, but without the context of having read TDE, I found myself skimming chunks of the book where they go on and on about the wherefores and whys of their characters, situations, and so forth and how things mutated into the final product.
There are lots and lots of useful tidbits strewn throughout the book, much like a scattering of nuts and bolts on a shop floor, waiting to be picked up by a writer to toss into their toolbox for future use. It'll take multiple readings to tease out all of the tips and tricks, but the smooth narrative flow is easy on the eyes and brain and lends itself well to rereading.
One note of caution: This book details the writing of a piece of fiction as completed by a partnership. Writers working on their own will experience some similar moments as described in the book, but writing in partnership is a very different animal than writing alone.
Worthwhile read, and worth reading more than once. The bonus items for early bird buyers were much appreciated as well.
There are lots and lots of useful tidbits strewn throughout the book, much like a scattering of nuts and bolts on a shop floor, waiting to be picked up by a writer to toss into their toolbox for future use. It'll take multiple readings to tease out all of the tips and tricks, but the smooth narrative flow is easy on the eyes and brain and lends itself well to rereading.
One note of caution: This book details the writing of a piece of fiction as completed by a partnership. Writers working on their own will experience some similar moments as described in the book, but writing in partnership is a very different animal than writing alone.
Worthwhile read, and worth reading more than once. The bonus items for early bird buyers were much appreciated as well.
February 17, 2015
I was a member of the Fiction Unboxed program when it was launched on Kickstarter in May 2014 and watched the entire process unfold throughout that following June. I was expecting this book to be a basic rundown of what went down (it was originally slated to just be a book full of transcripts) but Johnny and Sean always outdo themselves and instead wrote a narrative that retold the story in a much more satisfying way.
At it's nutshell, this book is about two guys writing a book together. Somehow, the actual story told is much more exciting than you would think from the description. They open with the history of the project and what led to its inception, running a Kickstarter campaign, finding a nugget on which they could base their novel, writing said novel and producing a finished product (from conception to completion) in 30 days, and then meeting with members of the community to more fully flesh out their story world at a summit a few months later.
There is intrigue, backstabbing (sort of...if you really bend the meaning behind the word...), even cliffhangers galore from chapter to chapter. Even knowing the story (since I was there for the entire thing) they had me on the edge of my seat.
Simon Whistler did an excellent job of narrating the book, even if it does seem odd to hear his voice instead of Johnny's, from whose point of view the book is told and who I am used to listening to multiple times per week. Simon's cool voice and strong accent are very easy to listen to, and his production quality leaves very few errors to distract you from the book. (In fact, in this book, I didn't notice any at all.)
This is a quick listen at just over 5 hours.
At it's nutshell, this book is about two guys writing a book together. Somehow, the actual story told is much more exciting than you would think from the description. They open with the history of the project and what led to its inception, running a Kickstarter campaign, finding a nugget on which they could base their novel, writing said novel and producing a finished product (from conception to completion) in 30 days, and then meeting with members of the community to more fully flesh out their story world at a summit a few months later.
There is intrigue, backstabbing (sort of...if you really bend the meaning behind the word...), even cliffhangers galore from chapter to chapter. Even knowing the story (since I was there for the entire thing) they had me on the edge of my seat.
Simon Whistler did an excellent job of narrating the book, even if it does seem odd to hear his voice instead of Johnny's, from whose point of view the book is told and who I am used to listening to multiple times per week. Simon's cool voice and strong accent are very easy to listen to, and his production quality leaves very few errors to distract you from the book. (In fact, in this book, I didn't notice any at all.)
This is a quick listen at just over 5 hours.
March 24, 2016
A vivid, raw and personal book that brought an incredible and seemingly crazy event to life ('write and publish a book from scratch in 30 days') as well as grounding the book in the practical for the reader, with action steps and takeaways from each chapter.
I put off reading this at first. I'd bought it because I loved 'Write. Publish. Repeat.', and I wanted to support the authors of the awesome self publishing podcast in their work. So it stayed on my kindle in 'to read' waiting forlornly for me to pick it up and show it some love.
Then one day it was mentioned again on SPP, an aside about something in it that piqued my interest and reminded me I owned it. I thought, well, might as well take a look.
I didn't expect to be enthralled. I didn't expect to be fascinated. I didn't expect to have my emotions engaged in a roller coaster ride where I cheered for a project that was over months before.
So much hyperbole? Maybe. Maybe not. I am consistently stunned by the quality and quantity of these guys' writing. Reading Fiction Unboxed, where the events it describes happened before I'd 'discovered' their work made me wistful, because I wished I'd been there to support it; inspired, as I read the nuts and bolts of how they produce so much in a short time; and intimidated, as I kicked myself up the a*** and told myself I could do better.
Writers, aspiring and established need to read this. Marvel, wonder, and once again be drawn in to the inner circle of the three Storytellers that are Sterling and Stone.
PS- the book they wrote in 30 days? 'The Dream Engine'? I'm off to buy it.
I put off reading this at first. I'd bought it because I loved 'Write. Publish. Repeat.', and I wanted to support the authors of the awesome self publishing podcast in their work. So it stayed on my kindle in 'to read' waiting forlornly for me to pick it up and show it some love.
Then one day it was mentioned again on SPP, an aside about something in it that piqued my interest and reminded me I owned it. I thought, well, might as well take a look.
I didn't expect to be enthralled. I didn't expect to be fascinated. I didn't expect to have my emotions engaged in a roller coaster ride where I cheered for a project that was over months before.
So much hyperbole? Maybe. Maybe not. I am consistently stunned by the quality and quantity of these guys' writing. Reading Fiction Unboxed, where the events it describes happened before I'd 'discovered' their work made me wistful, because I wished I'd been there to support it; inspired, as I read the nuts and bolts of how they produce so much in a short time; and intimidated, as I kicked myself up the a*** and told myself I could do better.
Writers, aspiring and established need to read this. Marvel, wonder, and once again be drawn in to the inner circle of the three Storytellers that are Sterling and Stone.
PS- the book they wrote in 30 days? 'The Dream Engine'? I'm off to buy it.
July 1, 2016
If you are, like me, a struggling writer (and by struggling I don't mean not selling your work, more can't finish your work) then this book may open your eyes to what is holding you back.
The authors, Johnny B Truant and Sean Platt, made the decision to write a novel in the space of a month (June 2014) and do it all in front of an online audience. The book, THE DREAM ENGINE, is the end product of that month and is a pretty good book (boasted by an awesome ending).
FICTION UNBOXED is the story of how they did it.
Right from the off the guys make it clear that this isn't a book that gives you the secrets to success. Instead it shows you other authors, already successful authors, going through a lot of the things us struggling authors face every day. But where we might drop our heads and back of a story, Johnny and Sean show you that there is always a way. If they can birth an idea (or discover, as they might say), untangle plots and fight through a terribly weak ending to create an awesome one (seriously, i can't praise the final two chapters enough) then why can't anyone.
I thought I was doing okay over the last year of writing. I thought I was improving. But this book, this gritty, real, behind the scene adventure, showed me what I think I need to get it done now.
They didn't give me easy answers, just showed me my fears and encouraged me to fight through them.
I need to stop taking my Crumble.
(I would advise you to read the DREAM ENGINE first as it helps the middle section of FICTION UNBOXED make more sense)
The authors, Johnny B Truant and Sean Platt, made the decision to write a novel in the space of a month (June 2014) and do it all in front of an online audience. The book, THE DREAM ENGINE, is the end product of that month and is a pretty good book (boasted by an awesome ending).
FICTION UNBOXED is the story of how they did it.
Right from the off the guys make it clear that this isn't a book that gives you the secrets to success. Instead it shows you other authors, already successful authors, going through a lot of the things us struggling authors face every day. But where we might drop our heads and back of a story, Johnny and Sean show you that there is always a way. If they can birth an idea (or discover, as they might say), untangle plots and fight through a terribly weak ending to create an awesome one (seriously, i can't praise the final two chapters enough) then why can't anyone.
I thought I was doing okay over the last year of writing. I thought I was improving. But this book, this gritty, real, behind the scene adventure, showed me what I think I need to get it done now.
They didn't give me easy answers, just showed me my fears and encouraged me to fight through them.
I need to stop taking my Crumble.
(I would advise you to read the DREAM ENGINE first as it helps the middle section of FICTION UNBOXED make more sense)
March 18, 2015
Fiction Unboxed is the latest how-to for writers by Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant (you might know them from Write.Publish.Repeat., which was also fantastic). So these guys, who admit they are a bit crazy, set out to plot, write, and publish a full-length novel in a month. Yes, you read that right. A month. And not only did they succeed, but in this excellent guide they share their writing process in detail.
They explain how they kept getting questions about how they manage to be so hugely productive. Over time, they realized what readers really wanted to know was more about the process they use to write and publish so many books, and to make a good living at it. Of course, as a writer, that’s something I wanted to find out as well. The book did not disappoint.
There are so many useful tips and ideas in these pages that authors can put into play right away. Platt and Truant are the real deal - they are successful authors who aren't afraid to share their failures as well as their successes, and delve into the “why” behind both. Their writing style is hilarious and engaging. I found myself reading this book on the edge of my seat, like I normally do only with good fiction. The thing is, they are storytellers by trade, and this story of writing a novel in a month is, to a fellow writer at least, terrifically exciting.
I highly recommend Fiction Unboxed (and really, pretty much anything these guys do). I know I sort of sound like a fangirl here, but I don’t care. They rock. It’s true.
They explain how they kept getting questions about how they manage to be so hugely productive. Over time, they realized what readers really wanted to know was more about the process they use to write and publish so many books, and to make a good living at it. Of course, as a writer, that’s something I wanted to find out as well. The book did not disappoint.
There are so many useful tips and ideas in these pages that authors can put into play right away. Platt and Truant are the real deal - they are successful authors who aren't afraid to share their failures as well as their successes, and delve into the “why” behind both. Their writing style is hilarious and engaging. I found myself reading this book on the edge of my seat, like I normally do only with good fiction. The thing is, they are storytellers by trade, and this story of writing a novel in a month is, to a fellow writer at least, terrifically exciting.
I highly recommend Fiction Unboxed (and really, pretty much anything these guys do). I know I sort of sound like a fangirl here, but I don’t care. They rock. It’s true.
May 23, 2016
This book was a delightful surprise. I knew that it was about the guys’ attempt to write a full-length novel in thirty days in front of the world, but I didn’t expect the result to be so readable. I guess I expected a bunch of transcripts, but it certainly isn’t that. The book is written memoir-style, telling the story of how Johnny, Shaun and Dave came up with the idea to write and publish a book in record time, the process of preparation, the actual adventure of creating something out of nothing, and the exciting events which took place after the launch. In short, the book captures the exhilaration and terror of the project in a most entertaining way.
The other point which readers will find useful to hear is that the book is hugely motivational. As an indie publisher myself, I was torn between wanting to put the book down all the time to apply the learnings to my own story and not wanting to put it down because the content was so inspiring. I loved the funny way Johnny describes his collaboration with Shaun, and the amazing way the two manage to come up with the most incredible ideas on the fly. Truly, such an artistic team has much to teach the rest of us about taking risks and letting our imagination run wild.
This is a worthy successor to the fabulous “Write, Publish, Repeat” and an apt precursor to “Iterate and Optimise”, and I highly recommend reading it in the Audible version with Simon Whistler as narrator.
The other point which readers will find useful to hear is that the book is hugely motivational. As an indie publisher myself, I was torn between wanting to put the book down all the time to apply the learnings to my own story and not wanting to put it down because the content was so inspiring. I loved the funny way Johnny describes his collaboration with Shaun, and the amazing way the two manage to come up with the most incredible ideas on the fly. Truly, such an artistic team has much to teach the rest of us about taking risks and letting our imagination run wild.
This is a worthy successor to the fabulous “Write, Publish, Repeat” and an apt precursor to “Iterate and Optimise”, and I highly recommend reading it in the Audible version with Simon Whistler as narrator.
November 9, 2015
I picked up Fiction Unboxed after finishing Write. Publish. Repeat.. While the book isn't a direct follow up, it felt like a spiritual sequel. The book is a narrative explanation of how they approached building and running their Kickstarter campaign, and then an explanation of how they produced a book in 30 days.
This isn't a how-to book. Like much of Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant's non-fiction, it's more of a peek behind the curtain. The authors don't delve too deeply into the process of writing (there's a lot of talk of polishing and parallel editing, but there's not any discussion of how that works), but they do present a philosophical overview of what how to approach a Kickstarter campaign.
That's not an entirely bad thing. Writers need to find their own way through the indie publishing route, and Platt & Truant's non-fiction books are a great help in that way. The book is breezy, which makes it a perfect companion to Write. Publish. Repeat.. If you're still working out how you want to approach indie publishing, you won't find better than these books for readability, content, and direction.
This isn't a how-to book. Like much of Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant's non-fiction, it's more of a peek behind the curtain. The authors don't delve too deeply into the process of writing (there's a lot of talk of polishing and parallel editing, but there's not any discussion of how that works), but they do present a philosophical overview of what how to approach a Kickstarter campaign.
That's not an entirely bad thing. Writers need to find their own way through the indie publishing route, and Platt & Truant's non-fiction books are a great help in that way. The book is breezy, which makes it a perfect companion to Write. Publish. Repeat.. If you're still working out how you want to approach indie publishing, you won't find better than these books for readability, content, and direction.
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