I Should Be Writing: A Writer's Workshop

by Mur Lafferty

“Equal parts motivation and inspiration . . . Bite-size, easy-to-read chapters coach new writers through everything from imposter syndrome to writer’s block.” —The WriterI Should Be Writing is everything you’d hope to find in a writing workshop, condensed into one highly effective journal. It’s time to stop dreaming about what you want to write and finally do it!Let award-winning podcaster Mur Lafferty, who in the past has interviewed authors including John Scalzi, Neil Gaiman, Gail Carriger, Adam Christopher, and Kameron Hurley, guide you through the nuts-and-bolts process of honing your craft, including which writing myths to ignore, how to refine your creative process, listening to your inner muse while ignoring your inner bully, and more. This book also contains writing exercises that will help the blossoming writer strengthen the writer’s muscle of writing every day. These include everything from situational writer’s prompts to lists of ideas writers should try to jot down between writing sessions.With this helpful guide, you can make the phrase, “I’ve always wanted to write a story . . .” a thing of the past. Because you should be writing!

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Reference, Self Help

163 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 22, 2017

About the author

NOTE- Goodreads mail is NOT a good way to get in touch with me. I don't get notifications of questions and I'm rarely here. Please contact me via my website, murverse.com.

Mur Lafferty is the author of Solo: A Star Wars Story and the Hugo and Nebula nominated novel Six Wakes, The Shambling Guides series, and several self pubbed novels and novellas, including the award winning Afterlife series. She is the host of the Hugo-winning podcast Ditch Diggers, and the long-running I Should Be Writing. She is the recipient of the John Campbell Award for best new writer, the Manly Wade Wellman Award, the Best Fancast Hugo Award, and joined the Podcast Hall of Fame in 2015, its inaugural year.

Reviews

[Dannii Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, none of this information is new. None of it. But what is new to me, is the way the information was delivered. This book favours the tough love approach and, initially, this jarred with me. I’m someone who adores self-help books and pins motivational quotes to her Pinterest boards on a daily basis. This begun with the negatives and I wasn’t too sure I liked the approach. Soon, however, I begun to see that this book wasn’t telling the wannabe writer to quit now, but to warn them off any disillusions about the field they are about to enter.

This book has a gorgeous look to it. Full of vibrancy and illustrations, it is aesthetically pleasing to devour. It make you want to learn from it. That’s important. It also alleviated some of the tough love approach that it uses to impart its vital information. And that's important too.

The handy bully and muse graphic speech bubbles were other light-hearted intrusions that lightened the tone of the text. These 'thoughts' demonstrated the degrading thoughts every individual allows their inner-bully to bombard them with and the positivity and light that the inner-muse fills you with. It felt like these inserted thoughts were plucked directly from my own mind and it was often scary how accurate they were.

The style of writing also matched the clean-lines of the artwork. There’s no waffle here. In illustration or otherwise. This is straight-to-the-point writing, which again differs to many other how to’s that I have read. This tells the reader the point it wants to make and moves on. There’s no 15 page explanation and no numerous examples of the point. Just the point. I found this strangely refreshing all round, and packed with knowledge any writer should arm themselves with.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Mur Lafferty, and the publisher, Rock Point, for this opportunity.

[Kirsty · Rating 3 out of 5]

A (very) short, sweet book for the beginner writer. Lafferty's tone is lovely, full of support and encouragement. Would be a good companion to Chris Baty's 'No Plot? No Problem!'.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve followed Mur Lafferty’s podcast, “I Should Be Writing” for awhile now. I enjoy her down to earth advice and frank discussion of the trials and tribulations of being a writer. This book, also entitled “I Should Be Writing” is a great distillation of her no nonsense advice from the podcast. Advice, especially advice for writers, is a prickly thing. If there is one absolute, it is that no one piece of it will work for every writer. Okay, maybe one, writer’s write. I think that’s pretty universal. The rest, as Mur says herself, you can try it on for size and see what fits your own process. If it doesn’t, no worries, try something else. In addition, some of the writing exercises at the end were very thought provoking! This book will stick with me for awhile. Thank you, Ms. Lafferty for your book.

[Etienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well enough written book that propose simple though and advice about writing fiction. Good and motivating, maybe a little too simple to be mindblowing. I like the motivating part maybe a little more than the «technical» part.

[J. d'Merricksson · Rating 5 out of 5]

***This book was reviewed for Quarto Publishing via Netgalley

I Should Be Writing, by Mur Lafferty, is a small, concise writing book focused less on the technical parts and more on helping baby writers overcome inner excuses and debunk myths. There are eight chapters, along with a section of writing prompts. The start of each chapter has a nifty quote, and scattered throughout are humorous examples of how the 'muse’ and the 'bully’ might respond to what's being discussed at the moment.

Chapter One looks at the unrealistic expectations new writers may have of themselves, or that friends/family may have. Chapter Two looks at the tools at a writer's disposal, stressing that things don't need to be fancy to be functional. A pad and pen works as well as a fancy notebook and $500 quill pen. Chapter Three is concerned with squashing myths. Chapter Four talks about writing advice, and to take it with a grain of salt. To process advice and test it for yourself, seeing what works for you. Chapter Five is all about getting started, putting paid to excuses like 'no time’, and working through being blocked. Chapter Six discusses the basic ingredients of story. Chapter Seven talks about the editing process, and cultivating the second draft. Chapter Eight, the final chapter, looks at traditional Vs self publishing.

Lafferty's book is great for quick inspiration if you're having difficulty getting started writing. With gentle humour, she dispels the myriad excuses the mind can conjure for putting off writing. Most of the information was familiar to me, but I did find good suggestions for online workshop and critique groups, which I'd been looking for. I really liked that she reiterated multiple times that the only hard and fast 'rule’ for writing is to sit your ass down and write. Nothing else. Everything else is variable, depending on the person’s (and the story’s) needs and preferences.

📚📚📚📚

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up during a writer's conference I attended in March 2019. The author puts the book together with good advice and humor in the first half. She shows the difference between the inner muse and the inner bully that all writers deal with ... and how to talk back to the latter so that one keeps on working. There is information about what agents do and don't do, how to decide between traditional or various types of independent publishing, who your characters are, and more.

The second half of the book is literally a workbook with exercises and lined pages on which to do them. I look forward to working through each item over the next little while, because they all look useful. Some are generic, but others are specific to a writer's work in progress and will help with character development, setting, and more.

Highly recommended for the authors who follow my reviews.

[SplatterGeist Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really cool book to read. With useful tips and the colorful illustrations as well as Lafferty's constantly reassuring, and quirky, tone, there's much to learn. Having read this just for fun, I SHOULD BE WRITING actually encourages people to buck up and write whatever it is they feel like writing and not to constantly berate themselves or wallow in a pool of their own brooding depression on those days when things just don't seem to be working out for them. Lafferty reassures the reader that, hey, although this chapter suddenly makes you doubt yourself as a writer and that you've been wasting years of your time, just take a deep breath, focus, and don't take yourself so seriously.

Writing should be fun and relaxing, a hobby you do in your own time, at whatever pace suits you best, and I SHOULD BE WRITING couldn't have made that message any clearer.

[Ame · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been listening to Mur's podcasts for years, so while the information was not new, I love having access to her advice in print form. I'm also stoked for the writing prompts at the back of the book. She's been incredibly helpful for me in terms of character development and making sure that every person in a particular work of fiction has their own voice.

[Ruxandra Grrr · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very quick read and I enjoyed it a lot thanks to its supportive vibe. I even wrote after I read some of it. Thanks!

[Jennafer Worland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good, helpful, and quick read.

[S.V. Veen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great writers workshop, very good tips and tricks. And a lot of resources!

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

My confidence, as usual, is a crumbling mess nowadays. I just had a serious breakdown and still haven't recovered from it yet. I have two deadlines right now and I chose to read this book because it looked like it could pick me up a little bit.

And it did.

Now I'm going to take some advice from this book with a grain of salt. (which is exactly what a section of this book told me to do so... I don't know. I'm confused.) But I'm also going to start writing because the author is right. Perfect is the enemy of the good and I really don't need my stories to be perfect. I just need them to be good enough.

The following is an excerpt from the book. The last paragraph, in fact. And I absolutely love it. Along with several other lines I also liked in this book.

"If you only take one thing away from this book, please let it be the faith that persistence will pay off. If you keep writing, and keep working to grow as a writer, then you will succeed. It will probably take a while, but that’s okay. Most things worth doing take a very long time. Be persistent. Be strong. Because you should be writing."

[Meg Dowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Going into this book, I thought I'd finish without learning anything new. I was wrong.

It doesn't matter how much writing "experience" you think you have. Sometimes, every writer needs a reassuring hand on their shoulder, telling them they're not a failure for struggling.

This book is for beginners. For veterans. For anyone who likes to write and needs to remember they're just as vulnerable to self-doubt, distractions, and excuses as everyone else.

(Read the whole thing. Past the references. You won't regret it.)

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, a disclaimer. As with the other reviews posted here at time of writing, I got my hands on a pre-release review copy of the book for free as reward for being one of the first few people listening to an episode of her podcast. I have been listening to Mur’s podcasts for years now, so I do still have my pre-order copy coming soon.

With that out of the way, on with the review!

I didn't really know what to expect when Mur first announced the book. After just the first few pages, my initial thoughts were that it is written for somebody like me, at almost exactly the point in their writing. i.e. I'm not writing right now, but I should be. As she says, I have a nebulous time in the future when I will sit down and follow my dreams. Not today, but, you know, someday.
I was right. While this may not be the only sort of person for whom this book is worth a read, it’s certainly a demographic which would find it most useful.

Much like her podcast, Mur manages to blend honest truths about the life of a writer, words of encouragement and advice, and often humorous asides from two characters she calls Bully and Muse.

On the subject of advice, of which this book has plenty, there is an entire chapter titled “All Writing Advice is Crap". This is by far the most important chapter in the entire book, which seems counterintuitive from a book that is for the most part all about writing advice.

I've heard variations on this idea before. Mur herself has said many versions of it on her podcast. The gist is that when it comes to writing, there are no rules, only guidelines. Once you realise that, you are free from the excuses like, “I don't write every day, therefore I'm not a writer”, or “sometimes I find writing hard, so I can’t really be a writer”.

The only rule, and that is that you have to write. Everything else is merely a rule of thumb.

So if even the book itself says that all advice is crap, then what is the point of the book?
Well, the point is not to ignore advice outright, but to see what works for you.
The book is filled with lots of advice, some of which you may not have heard before and which may work really well for you. In fact, in a few sections of the book, Mur presents two contradictory pieces of advise, argues for and against them, and offers you the choice.

Pick what works for you.

In addition to all the words of advice, there are several writing exercises at the back of the book, as well as some blank pages on which to complete them. Some of these are more traditional writing prompts, and some are more along the lines of “go for a walk and think”.

I’ve had a lot of fun with some of these, and I have come away with some new ideas for my current writing project, as well as some new ideas for once I have completed this one.
As somebody who has barely touched a pen since high school, I would have preferred not having the blank pages, either having less paper overall, or more writing exercises. But I’m sure that having somewhere in the book to write would be useful for other, less handwriting-averse people.

In summary…

I’ve been listening to Mur's podcast for years, so I've heard a lot of her advice already. But there's some new ideas in the book, or ideas I've forgotten. And to have it all in one place which I can go back and reference is helpful.

The real test of this book is whether I end up writing more as a result of reading it. That’s not something I can write about here, of course (unless my time-travelling clone sister shows up again).

I suspect that I might, because after all, I should be writing.

[Amurph · Rating 5 out of 5]

You should be writing, and Mur Lafferty is here yet again to show you how. The podcasting queen has condensed the key points of her long-running podcast into book format so writers can take the advice and support of “I Should Be Writing” with them anywhere they go. And, really, why would you not want to keep a book like this with you? Not only is the content Grade A, the design of the book edges on the sensual. From the texture of the cover and the pages to the layout to the colors used to the header designs, this book feels as good to the eye and hand as its content does to the writerly soul.

As much as I love listening to Lafferty’s podcast (which I recommend to everyone and which leant me the added bonus of reading the book with her voice in my mind), I feel a sense of completeness in reading the book. Lafferty, as always, provides support and direction—identifying struggles and roadblocks, assuring readers that all writers work through difficulties, and guiding them toward completing their work. This format, in which she presents the concepts one after another as opposed to discussing at length over the course of several episodes, is like the kind of class notes I wanted in my head but actually pans out in ways (sensical, thoughtful, legible—all the good things that are helpful and beautiful and productive in learning) that my class notes never achieved. I would recommend the book to fans of the podcast who would like the condensed, written version, just as I would recommend the podcast to fans of the book who would like more in-depth discussions and interviews with authors.

I especially enjoyed the speech bubbles illustrating the writer’s inner conflict between the Bully and the Muse. The Bully is often so strong in a writer’s (and, really, most people’s) mind, but it can be conquered. The Muse speech bubbles often contain phrases and sentences that would make excellent mantras to repeat whenever the Bully raises its ugly head.

“I Should Be Writing” is a smooth read, but was hard to get through; I kept wanting to put it down to follow its advice and actually write! I had (and will continue to have) fun with the writing exercises at the end. These are fantastic for writers at any level and act as a cold press for creative juices.

10/10 would buy again. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a book to complement Lafferty’s podcast with author Matt Wallace, “Ditch Diggers.” For now though, I just have to decide whether to deliver the copies I bought for my siblings on Christmas or in time for NaNoWriMo!

[Steven]

One of the more recent books about how to write, this one is very good. The author writes with a modern style and she covers the basics well.

Her main message involves overcoming the adversities, mental blocks, and doubts all would-be writers share. Her advice gets summed up in the book’s title, but the book teems with ways to overcome negative thinking. I love her dialogue bubble arguments between her ‘bully’ and her ‘muse’—the devil and angel perched on her shoulders.

In particular, I love the muse’s response when the bully argues that, if it takes ten years to become a good writer, why waste the time? The muse counters that however you spend your time, you’ll be ten years older in ten years. You might as well spend that time getting really good at something, say, writing. Hard to argue with that logic.

The book contains some grammar and spelling errors, detracting from its message a little. Or maybe confirming it, since the author states that no book is error-free.

Overall, it’s an easy-to-read book full of sound advice, and references for further study. The book provides many wonderful writing exercises to pursue on your own. I recommend this book, and suggest you stop reading my review now. You should be writing.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple book, but one that pulls no punches. The first half of the book is advice, most of which boils down to stop making excuses and write. The chapters are short and pithy, with interjections from your bully and your muse. I think these were the best part of the book and I’d love them on small cards to pin up. There is talk about the process of writing and publishing, what stops you and why it shouldn’t, and the encouragement that writers write. The second half of the book is a series of writing prompts to either kickstart your muse, stretch you, or just to get you moving. There is also space with each one to grab a pen and write a few pages in response. You don’t need a special pen, a certain notebook or lots of time. You can write here and now.
I liked the quick and easy format and the straightforward writing style, but this is a book to make you face your excuses and get writing so it doesn’t go into masses of details about how to edit, find an agent etc. This book cannot be used as yet another thing you can spend hours over instead of writing.
I received a free electronic review copy of this book via NetGalley. This has not affected my review.

[Shaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

To start, I am a subscriber to Mur's podcast "I should be writing".

But, about this little tome -

I found it a nice little read. Mur offers advice more on the mind set required to write, and in that aspect, she succeeds. As a professional writer, Mur is able to tell of the issues that one faces if one has the urge to write. Often with these books there is a large amount of usless information. Coming in at a little more more than a 100 pages of information, there is little room for BS.
But, why then is it not perfect ?

Firstly, the layout of the book. Mur has interjections from both the Bully and Muse - representing the two extremes of the inner voice that will encourage and criticize writing- there are places where the dialogue between the two breaks the flow of what is being said. At one stage, the voices come in almost mid sentence. But this is a lay out issue, and no fault of Mur.

At the end of the day, as a want to be writer, I found her advice in this book to be insightful and encouraging. If you are a writer, feeling a little down about how you are going, and am looking for an afternoon read to get you inspired, this is certainly a book you should consider.

[Sophie Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sophie decided that November, known to many as the month of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), would be an ideal time to dive into I Should Be Writing: A Writer’s Workshop by Mur Lafferty. This was only in part to avoid doing any actual work on her own NaNoWriMo project. Honest…

This short book – 160 pages – is split into two parts. The first half consists of friendly first-person advice from Mur, with interjections from two figures she refers to as her Muse – who gives her ideas and encouragement – and her Bully who advocates for procrastination and endlessly questions why she is even trying to write anything. These figures are effectively the angel and devil on her shoulders and she includes asides from them both in their own colored speech bubbles.

Mur covers situations familiar to anyone who has attempted to write: imposter syndrome, finding a routine, writing anxiety, and writer’s block. She also tackles a number of myths like that of the tortured writer, whether natural writing talent exists, and how to find the time to write. There is also some more factual advice such as a breakdown of how a publishing advance will actually pay out over time, which writing tools are really worth investing in, the differences between traditional and self-publishing, and a breakdown of basic story elements.

The second half of the book is a series of writing prompts designed to get you actually writing rather than simply reading about it. These are a mixture of exercises that begin with making a list of reasons not to write and include ways to brainstorm new ideas, and actual writing prompts. Each exercise comes with space to write inside the book itself, or you could write elsewhere if you’re like me and can’t bear to mark the inside of a precious book. There were some really fun exercises included here and Sophie found herself coming up with new ideas just reading them.

This is an ideal book for anyone toying with the idea of trying to write something for the first time, or even for those who have already started writing and are looking to improve their work and/or get something published. The advice isn’t groundbreaking, but the friendly way in which it is presented gives the book a feel of chatting with a friend who has already been there and done that and is passing along their advice. A perfect gift for the aspiring Rowlings and Gaimans on your Christmas list.

[Dimitris Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book during a period when what I really wanted was to have something written under my belt without however actually making it a priority to create time for writing -- not the best of moods to find yourself in. The cold, hard truths contained in I Should Be Writing about how difficult it is to get published by a company, how self-publishing isn't the dream many think it is and how much money a writer can actually expect to make were rough wake-up calls I definitely needed.

Still, I found Lafferty's style encouraging and will definitely pick up the book again when I have put myself in a groove and have created a daily schedule where writing will play some kind of part. I might even do the exercises at the end of the book.

Recommended along with The Elements of Style for writing tips and inspiration. Provided you're ready and willing to carry out this advice and are not merely looking for your next self-improvement addiction hit.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is full of great advice and tips to get your creative mind motivated . It certainly makes me want to rush for a pen and notepad and get my ideas written down !
Mur Lafferty write this book in a nice, easy to understand, down to earth kind of way which makes it better to learn from in my opinion . I loved the art work in this book, very simple but very colourful , the geometric shapes in between each different section were pleasing to my eyes too .
Each section starts with a quote from a different author which is a nice touch .
I think this book will be incredibly useful to me and I intend to work my way through the writing exercises in the second part of the book .
I recommend it to any budding writers or established one I think everyone will get some good advice and motivation from reading it .
I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review .

[Sophie-Leigh Robbins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before I started reading, I was under the assumption that I would already know everything the author wanted to teach the reader. And I was right. Only, it was brought in such a great way that the information felt fresh to me. It motivated me. Sometimes you need a reminder that you are not alone when suffering from self-doubt, distractions or believing in writing myths. Most writers are the same and the author of this book gives helpful tools and advice to deal with these common pitfalls.

The last third of the book contains writing exercises and prompts that are useful in so many ways: dealing with writer’s block, coming up with new ideas, creating more rounded characters and so on.

The writing is fluent and enjoyable. The layout of the book is really pretty. I read it in a couple of hours and didn’t feel the need to skip anything (as I sometimes do when reading craft books). I would recommend it to any aspiring author.

[Stories Under Starlight Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the best thing about Lafferty's book is that it has all the advice you need in one place. You probably heard some or maybe even all the advice in this book at some point in your life, but Lafferty has a way of delivering it that really hits home and make you stop and think. I especially like the chapter where she talks about writers who want to write but just feel like they don't have the time. As an aspiring writer myself, I found this chapter especially sobering because I make this excuse all the time. She points out that if you have time to text, watch TV, play games on your phone, etc...you have time to write. Lafferty also goes beyond motivation to talk about characters, plot, setting, how to edit, and different publishing methods. Filled with tons of motivation and practical advice about getting started as a writer or pushing through to the finish line, you will not be disappointed!

*A DRC was given for an honest review.

[Molebatsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I MUST BE WRITING
I guess most of us wish to write and go to lengths to achieve this.
To write you have to read and read. Read everything, particularly books you want to write.
In your reading-for-writing menu add books on writing. There are many books on writing out there you have to tread carefully for what meets your writing needs.
To sharpen my writing I read this tract, I Must be Writing by Mur Laffarty. It is sixty-four pages. I read it in one sitting, picking nuggets along the way.
The book covers the basics of writing – from feeding your passion for ten years to writing exercises. Talent, getting started and staying the course, editing, publishing, resources, care, and feeding the author.
Everything about writing is covered in its few pages. I am glad I picked it, writing is no longer a mystery that’s the preserve of a few.
I am off to another book on writing to further explore the craft.

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt a lot of what Mur says in this book resonated with me as a writer who has struggled with productivity for a long time, as well as issues such as writer's block, what to do when you get stuck, how not to let 'one size fits all' writing advice discourage you, etc. Overall, I think this book is a concise and quick read that gets to the point quickly but offers actionable advice that writers can use to improve our craft, our goals, and our mindset in general. I really liked the use of Bully and Muse in different colours to show problems in 'all or nothing' thinking patterns, and positive alternative thoughts to try to gravitate more towards. Overall, I would recommend this for any writer from beginners to pros and think Lafferty offers many useful nuggets of information as well as writing exercises at the back.

[Aleksi Stenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mur Lafferty is a good writer and a good teacher whose voice, familiar to listeners of her podcasts, really comes through in the text. The advice she gives is clear and concise.

Rather too concise, perhaps, as the book weighs in at 160 pages and a full third of that consists of nearly empty pages of writing exercises.* What there is is very good, but one would think that over a decade of podcasting about the subject would have produced just a little more. There is a good deal of advice about the tools and the psychology of writing and but comparatively few actual craft tips. Which is fine, I suppose, as there are many books dedicated to those, but at that point, why not go all in on the ancillary stuff?

* They are good exercises, Brant. But still.

[Brenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is the distilled essence of her show. Helping you push back that which keeps you from writing. Simple, clear language, very quick read. It's not so much mechanics, but motivation that this book is about. I wanted about twice as much as she put in there.


Mur gets all four stars. If I was to rate the production of the book, it'd only get two stars. If you have problems reading, such as dyslexia or bad vision, this book will be a hard read for you. Gray pages with a very thin Arial/Courier type font. I had to have very strong light, personally. I really hope that there's an ebook version some day.

[Ettie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 5 star rating isn't really for me but for the fact that this book is an absolute great start for beginners. It's nicely formatted, with clear concise information and lots of encouragement. There are even prompts at the end to get your creative juices flowing. This is the kind of book you give to people who are just starting on their writing journey and it will definitely set them on the right path. For people like me, who are a little farther along it acts more as a refresher. I'm still working my way through the exercises but so far they are a ton of fun and make it really worth the purchase.

[StarMan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Short: Muse vs Bully.

Light in tone, fairly short on actual content, but oh-so-pretty. If you haven't read more than 1 or 2 books intended to fuel your writing desires & habits--or are looking for a basic but encouraging one--this isn't a bad one to peruse.

Would make a nice gift for a budding author ages teen to adult. And by all means don't bother with the eBook version; you want the hardcopy.

The last 40% or so is writing exercises/prompts with plenty of writing space.

Example: 10 Story Ideas in 10 Minutes. Go!

VERDICT: 3.0 stars for content + 0.5 stars for layout/design = 3.5 stars (and rounded up to 4 because GR still sucks by not allowing half stars).

[Melissa Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun, practical book to read if you are interested in writing at all. It gives structure to a creative process that can overwhelm many people. As a teacher, it was validating to read because the methods and ideas in this book are similar to what I teach my elementary students in hopes that they become life-long writers. I think this book skims the surface for someone wanting to become a professional writer, but it’s a starting point. So, whether you are looking to take a step towards having your writing published, or just needing some motivation to make writing a habit, this book is a good resource.