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Write a Novel in 10 Minutes a Day: Acquire the habit of writing fiction every day
Would you like to write but have no spare time?
Do you not know where to begin?
'The Ten-Minute Novel' will help you sculpt a full-length piece of creative writing in just ten minutes a day. Starting with a daily practical exercise, it will help you manage your writing schedule within this time frame and help you bring your novel to life. You will be able to clarify your vision and review your time commitments, as well as understand your own abilities. Learning to observe the world around you, write quickly and tap into your unique voice will help you to create all the elements of your story and, by the time you've finished all the exercises, you'll have created something beautiful.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 26, 2015
35 people are currently reading
776 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
August 11, 2015
Where I got the book: a gift from the author. Katharine Grubb is my critique partner and I worked on this book, so you can take this review with however big a pinch of salt you like.
But I’m unashamedly five-starring it, because this thing is USEFUL, people. I’ve read a lot of writing books over the last few months, trying to improve my own processes, and this book, possibly in combination with Take Off Your Pants!: Outline Your Books for Faster, Better Writing, is going to remain by my side as I go into the rewrites of my WIP.
Why is it good? It’s organized, that’s why. It’s aimed at people who feel like they have a novel in them but also feel that a) they don’t know enough about novel-writing to do a good job and b) they just don’t have the time to do this. They are totally me in 2008, when I had this story that had been writing itself in my head for 14 years but seriously never thought I’d get round to writing it.
The secondary audience would be people who’ve maybe written part of a novel, or perhaps even produced a first draft, but don’t feel like they’re doing a very good job of it. That would be me in 2009 when I began pantsing the 14-year-old story. I kind of got one-third in and realized I was going way too fast for where I needed to be at the end of the novel, so I produced a very sketchy sort of timeline (I didn’t know about outlining) and wrote on. Then I revised the timeline and wrote some more, until I got to the end. That one’s still awaiting revision on my computer since I realized I wrote well but had no clue how to produce a decent novel. This is the book I needed at that point, instead of just kind of randomly floundering around until I started finding the information I needed.
Grubb breaks down the process of planning and writing a novel into ALL the steps, beginning with getting yourself organized so that you have more time to write. Having started her own novel-writing career while homeschooling five young kids, learning to be organized was key for her. She tends to write for readers with similar issues of household and child management, so those whose issues are different might feel a bit left out. Although, of course, it’s always good to have a plan to keep our houses clean and eat well while we’re writing, whatever our personal circumstances. I didn’t have the homeschooling but I pretty much went through the same journey of trying to fit writing into my life once I gave in to the urge to novelize, and one of the things we have in common is our love of breaking stuff down into manageable chunks and making LISTS.
After getting organized comes becoming a writer (in the sense of actually writing stuff), then learning the craft of novel-writing, then learning the business of becoming a working writer. There’s some brief discussion on getting feedback, joining communities and so on, and a quick overview of moving toward publication, but as Grubb says at some point, these aren’t matters you should be worrying about while you’re writing your first novel. The point, really, is to learn enough to actually be able to produce a decent novel—its onward journey is going to vary wildly in accordance with every writer’s level of talent, personality, networking ability and level of perseverance.
Each section has exercises you can do ten minutes at a time, by setting a timer and just going for it until the timer beeps. I don’t use that technique much myself any more except at times when I have to crack the whip over my own back to get something done, but you know, it’s a big help to give yourself permission to do ONE THING AND NOTHING ELSE for ten minutes. It’s also a chunk of time small enough that you can either persuade your family members to leave you alone for just ten minutes, or slip it in while they’re watching TV, or take ten minutes of your work lunch, or get up ten minutes earlier—whatever you need.
There are examples, but not too many, and drawn from novels that most people will at least know a bit about even if they haven’t read them. I find that helpful—I’ve been known to complain about craft books that yak on about a hit from 1990 that may have been a great book but has since disappeared from view. It’s much handier to reference the popular novels, even if they aren’t the greatest critical successes.
And of course it’s well written and very nicely edited. I’m not talking about my own contribution here, you understand, but about Grubb and her team at Hodder & Stoughton. Different box styles and symbols are used to help you flick quickly back through the book. It’s indexed, has a nice bibliography and a handy list of writers’ associations with their website URLs.
At my stage there’s a lot in here that I don’t need, but I’m keeping Write A Novel In Ten Minutes A Day on my desk as a reference to dip into, particularly as regards the chapters on character-building and narrative voice, two areas where I always beat myself up for not putting in enough work.
My final remark is that this book is published as part of the Teach Yourself series, and has thus been rendered into British spelling. Ha. I’d tease Grubb mercilessly about this if I were meaner. But I also wanted to say that as a child I loved the Teach Yourself books. I’d look for secondhand copies, buy them and try to teach myself Russian or whatever—usually languages or something potentially dangerous, like chemistry. I never succeeded because I didn’t have sufficient self-mastery at that age, but just seeing a Teach Yourself book brings back fond memories of a nerdy little girl who found life outside school intensely boring, lived inside her own head most of the time, and dreamed of doing something spectacular with her life.
But I’m unashamedly five-starring it, because this thing is USEFUL, people. I’ve read a lot of writing books over the last few months, trying to improve my own processes, and this book, possibly in combination with Take Off Your Pants!: Outline Your Books for Faster, Better Writing, is going to remain by my side as I go into the rewrites of my WIP.
Why is it good? It’s organized, that’s why. It’s aimed at people who feel like they have a novel in them but also feel that a) they don’t know enough about novel-writing to do a good job and b) they just don’t have the time to do this. They are totally me in 2008, when I had this story that had been writing itself in my head for 14 years but seriously never thought I’d get round to writing it.
The secondary audience would be people who’ve maybe written part of a novel, or perhaps even produced a first draft, but don’t feel like they’re doing a very good job of it. That would be me in 2009 when I began pantsing the 14-year-old story. I kind of got one-third in and realized I was going way too fast for where I needed to be at the end of the novel, so I produced a very sketchy sort of timeline (I didn’t know about outlining) and wrote on. Then I revised the timeline and wrote some more, until I got to the end. That one’s still awaiting revision on my computer since I realized I wrote well but had no clue how to produce a decent novel. This is the book I needed at that point, instead of just kind of randomly floundering around until I started finding the information I needed.
Grubb breaks down the process of planning and writing a novel into ALL the steps, beginning with getting yourself organized so that you have more time to write. Having started her own novel-writing career while homeschooling five young kids, learning to be organized was key for her. She tends to write for readers with similar issues of household and child management, so those whose issues are different might feel a bit left out. Although, of course, it’s always good to have a plan to keep our houses clean and eat well while we’re writing, whatever our personal circumstances. I didn’t have the homeschooling but I pretty much went through the same journey of trying to fit writing into my life once I gave in to the urge to novelize, and one of the things we have in common is our love of breaking stuff down into manageable chunks and making LISTS.
After getting organized comes becoming a writer (in the sense of actually writing stuff), then learning the craft of novel-writing, then learning the business of becoming a working writer. There’s some brief discussion on getting feedback, joining communities and so on, and a quick overview of moving toward publication, but as Grubb says at some point, these aren’t matters you should be worrying about while you’re writing your first novel. The point, really, is to learn enough to actually be able to produce a decent novel—its onward journey is going to vary wildly in accordance with every writer’s level of talent, personality, networking ability and level of perseverance.
Each section has exercises you can do ten minutes at a time, by setting a timer and just going for it until the timer beeps. I don’t use that technique much myself any more except at times when I have to crack the whip over my own back to get something done, but you know, it’s a big help to give yourself permission to do ONE THING AND NOTHING ELSE for ten minutes. It’s also a chunk of time small enough that you can either persuade your family members to leave you alone for just ten minutes, or slip it in while they’re watching TV, or take ten minutes of your work lunch, or get up ten minutes earlier—whatever you need.
There are examples, but not too many, and drawn from novels that most people will at least know a bit about even if they haven’t read them. I find that helpful—I’ve been known to complain about craft books that yak on about a hit from 1990 that may have been a great book but has since disappeared from view. It’s much handier to reference the popular novels, even if they aren’t the greatest critical successes.
And of course it’s well written and very nicely edited. I’m not talking about my own contribution here, you understand, but about Grubb and her team at Hodder & Stoughton. Different box styles and symbols are used to help you flick quickly back through the book. It’s indexed, has a nice bibliography and a handy list of writers’ associations with their website URLs.
At my stage there’s a lot in here that I don’t need, but I’m keeping Write A Novel In Ten Minutes A Day on my desk as a reference to dip into, particularly as regards the chapters on character-building and narrative voice, two areas where I always beat myself up for not putting in enough work.
My final remark is that this book is published as part of the Teach Yourself series, and has thus been rendered into British spelling. Ha. I’d tease Grubb mercilessly about this if I were meaner. But I also wanted to say that as a child I loved the Teach Yourself books. I’d look for secondhand copies, buy them and try to teach myself Russian or whatever—usually languages or something potentially dangerous, like chemistry. I never succeeded because I didn’t have sufficient self-mastery at that age, but just seeing a Teach Yourself book brings back fond memories of a nerdy little girl who found life outside school intensely boring, lived inside her own head most of the time, and dreamed of doing something spectacular with her life.
November 26, 2016
I kept on avoiding this book and I couldn't figure out why. Finally, I picked it up and decided to give it a go. Ugh...
By reading the title and all the hype you would think that this book would be for those who write, want to write, can write, and yet don't have the time to write. The shortest section covered this. The rest of the book is just a bunch of exercises, quotes, and excerpts based on the craft. It covers dialogue, characters, POV, editing, and publishing. I would say that about 60% or more of the "10 min" sessions are said to take you several sessions, going against the concept of breaking things down. And while the author spends a lot of time giving exercises on the craft that are in the supposed 10-minute rule, when it comes to actually writing the first draft there is little to nothing there.
And a lot of this book is repetitive. There is one section on the first draft in which we are giving 3 different metaphors/similies on writing the first draft. Sadly, these are full on paragraphs of "A first draft is like..." that could have been summed up into one. And to make it worse, one of them has been used over and over throughout the book. Between this and the grammar mistakes and chunky word usage, the book at times dragged. I say at times because a good part, if not nearly half, is all quotes and the writings of others along with list that are pretty much repetitive.
Not until towards the end did the author use any of her own work to give examples. The whole book is pretty much, "I read another book and they said this..." and we are given pretty much a breakdown that seems all too familiar for someone who has read the same books and papers. I have a huge dislike when people use other pieces as examples. I have read pages of Of Mice and Men and that other one, Around the World in 80 Days. I sense a lack of confidence in the author's work when I'm constantly reading them praise and criticize everyone but themselves.
Overall, if you are looking to learn to write in 10 mins a day read the first part and move on. If you are a complete newbie to the idea of writing and have no idea what a plot is or the difference between 1st person POV and 3rd, this just may be the perfect book for you.
By reading the title and all the hype you would think that this book would be for those who write, want to write, can write, and yet don't have the time to write. The shortest section covered this. The rest of the book is just a bunch of exercises, quotes, and excerpts based on the craft. It covers dialogue, characters, POV, editing, and publishing. I would say that about 60% or more of the "10 min" sessions are said to take you several sessions, going against the concept of breaking things down. And while the author spends a lot of time giving exercises on the craft that are in the supposed 10-minute rule, when it comes to actually writing the first draft there is little to nothing there.
And a lot of this book is repetitive. There is one section on the first draft in which we are giving 3 different metaphors/similies on writing the first draft. Sadly, these are full on paragraphs of "A first draft is like..." that could have been summed up into one. And to make it worse, one of them has been used over and over throughout the book. Between this and the grammar mistakes and chunky word usage, the book at times dragged. I say at times because a good part, if not nearly half, is all quotes and the writings of others along with list that are pretty much repetitive.
Not until towards the end did the author use any of her own work to give examples. The whole book is pretty much, "I read another book and they said this..." and we are given pretty much a breakdown that seems all too familiar for someone who has read the same books and papers. I have a huge dislike when people use other pieces as examples. I have read pages of Of Mice and Men and that other one, Around the World in 80 Days. I sense a lack of confidence in the author's work when I'm constantly reading them praise and criticize everyone but themselves.
Overall, if you are looking to learn to write in 10 mins a day read the first part and move on. If you are a complete newbie to the idea of writing and have no idea what a plot is or the difference between 1st person POV and 3rd, this just may be the perfect book for you.
March 29, 2018
This book is chalk full of great advice and practical exercises to help apply it. From the planning stages to publishing, this is a tool that every writer should have in their arsenal. As an aspiring novelist, I felt this was incredibly helpful in preparing me with realistic expectations and a better understanding of what a good novel needs.
August 29, 2019
I just finished this book and let me just say it was awesome. I have underlined and added my own comments to the pages and look forward to using the ideas the author conveyed in the book for going through your revisions or drafts.
I held back on the fifth star because I didn't always agree with what the writer said. I would indeed recommend this to writers learning their craft.
I held back on the fifth star because I didn't always agree with what the writer said. I would indeed recommend this to writers learning their craft.
April 13, 2015
This is a great book. A useful tool to anyone who wants to write but doesn't think they have the time. It is written in a fun style, full of rips and tricks, as well a liberal sense of humor. I read it in one sitting, although I do have plans to go back and do some of the workshop ideas that are laid out in the book. I attacked it like a student, with highlighter and pen, and will definitely use it as a resource on those days I feel like I'm not getting anywhere in my own author journey.
May 5, 2016
Has some good information, however, not as in depth as I thought it would be.
March 18, 2020
Would I rave about this book? No. But I did enjoy it and it definitely motivated me to start thinking about stories and writing.
July 22, 2022
This was a pretty good but very basic introduction to writing craft. It does not have second person POV for instance. It gives you a page or two for each sub-heading.
But her big point is that in order to produce your words, you need to be less precious about it; teach yourself to write under all conditions. So she has taken a leaf out of Flylady’s mantra: you can do anything for fifteen minutes. But she has made it: you can write for ten minutes.
She’s not saying you can write a whole novel in ten minutes, but you can write one if write it in multiple of ten minute sessions.
I know, word count trackers kind of do not work for me. But if you break a whole book down into smaller chunks, and break those down into even smaller chunks, until you get to ten minute writing sessions [like the Pomodoro theory] and you can type 350 in 10 minutes. Doing the math: 350 words per session means you can write 80k words in 230 sessions. And for some of us with too many brain weasels, that feels easier. You know?
3 stars
So far this year, my library saved me A$1853.64
But her big point is that in order to produce your words, you need to be less precious about it; teach yourself to write under all conditions. So she has taken a leaf out of Flylady’s mantra: you can do anything for fifteen minutes. But she has made it: you can write for ten minutes.
She’s not saying you can write a whole novel in ten minutes, but you can write one if write it in multiple of ten minute sessions.
I know, word count trackers kind of do not work for me. But if you break a whole book down into smaller chunks, and break those down into even smaller chunks, until you get to ten minute writing sessions [like the Pomodoro theory] and you can type 350 in 10 minutes. Doing the math: 350 words per session means you can write 80k words in 230 sessions. And for some of us with too many brain weasels, that feels easier. You know?
3 stars
So far this year, my library saved me A$1853.64
April 2, 2019
This book was very informative and I found it extremely helpful. Some of the exercises were a bit redundant and unnecessary, but the majority of the content in the book was useful. I feel like I have a very good idea of all the components I need to consider when drafting a book and the best step-by-step method to use to get it done.
July 10, 2019
I haven't fully completed this book as I am leaving the final chapters on editing and publishing til I have a first draft to do this with. I have earmarked all the activities and planned to work my way through them which I find easier knowing the big picture of the plan to write and think it is a great guide for anyone wanting to write or those already in the process that got a bit stuck.
June 23, 2020
This covered things that I actually need help with such as editing/revising as well as voice and point of view. I didn't do any of the free writing activities because I already operate on the same level anyway but I am using the editing and revising advice. Some pages were wasted by telling the reader what is in the next chapter in 3 lines to a page.
May 2, 2025
Whilst the author had an incredibly annoying habit of assuming that all writers were male, all protagonists were male, (even though she herself is a woman!), and that every writer would have children, this was a very thorough journey through the writing process with some useful insights and exercises that I think will help me going forwards.
October 9, 2015
If someone told me I could organize my life in 10 minutes increments, I would have told them they were trying to cheer me up.
But after reading this book and trying a few exercises, I think they would have been right.
It took me long time to even only read the book, but I managed in small increments per day.
It’s true, you can make it, even if you don’t think you would.
See? You're living your life, dragging it forward more likely, and then you bump by chance into this group where the founder is a nice woman who homeschooled her 5 children, who’s in charge of her house and who managed to write a book in only ten minutes increments a day.
At first I felt very stupid, because I thought that, for how busy my life it might seems, it’s not as busy as Katharine’s, but then I decided to be brave and think that maybe I had a chance too.
And, if you’re a time crunched person and also you have the big dream of writing, this book is for you.
Why did I take it so long? Well, because hey, I’m one of the target readers, I’m time crunched! Also, I decided that just reading it wouldn’t be fair to the author who decided to share with other people her experiences and her advices. So what I did was also completing the exercises, not all of them, as I had some topic covered already, but the majority.
I put the book on my phone, I created a new Notebook in Evernote and then I started to follow the advices.
Every morning, on the train to work I used my twenty minutes ride to read the book and do the exercises.
I did actually more than that, I decided to put into this book's hands my newest WIP, since it was just a small idea fluttering in my head.
And you know what? I have a full plot now! Some 10 minutes increments more and I’ll be able to start writing. I’m so excited.
But there is more.
A part from giving you the basic knowledge on how to build a book from scratches, Katherine gives you something else through her pages: she manages to make you understand that thanks to sacrifices and self discipline (something I've usually lacked of) you can do whatever you set your mind to.
In other words this book gives you hope.
You’re not alone out there, there are other people who understand what’s your life like and tell you that’s OK to have big dream, because with dedication and mental discipline you can make it, everybody can.
In other words this book gives you the forma mentis to start the job you want to do in your life.
Also I'd dare to say, this book pushes and stimulate you to use all your senses as a writer and it’s a totally powerful sensation. Since I read the pages and made the exercises associated to the observation, I haven’t used my earplugs and music anymore during the travel, because observation is much better. On the train and in the streets I listen, I observe (someone will kick me for staring at them sooner or later!), I smell and my brain is in continuous motion. And I love so much this sensation, I’m sure it will give me the chance of creating wonderful characters and situations.
The book is divided in four parts, each one of them concentrates on some aspect of the life as time crunched writer and of the craft itself.
Scattered through the text there are quotes from the greatest writers, something I personally love, because it makes it feel even more real and encouraging.
The longest part is the third one: "Sculpting the elements of story".
Inside this frame you learn everything you need to start a story from the beginning.
If you did some writing workshops before Katharine gives you a nice refresh and sometimes brand new insights on the matter.
If you didn't it, it doesn't matter, you have all you need here, from the character building to the plot creation.
As I said I decided to try on my brand new idea and I have almost an entire book outlined in my hands.
Personally I find difficult to adapt my plot to the three arcs story as I've always used another method I was taught at the very first workshop I followed in my life.
However, it is a very nice cross check method to test your story and your plot.
In the last bit of the book Katharine gives you also some advices on how to publish the book you've worked on with such dedication and sacrifice.
I think it's important she covered this bit as I'm as confused on this matter as any newbie can be.
It's only the second time I come across to a theory book on writing which doesn't make you feel like an idiot.
Katherine knows what does it mean being time crunched person and tells you what she knows in these pages.
You have the sensation to sit in your favorite auntie’s living room and get some tips from her about your passion over a cup of tea.
Considering the job you want to do, and if you read the book it’s likely that this is the case, having some tips coming from someone who really understand your situation is a blessing.
I can only be grateful I've come across this book, Katharine Grubb and her group of time crunched writers.
However, you have to try to believe what I've just seen. And when you'll do and you'll understand the beauty of the sensation through your own experience you'll feel as excited as I did!
So, still here?! Get a copy and let me know!
But after reading this book and trying a few exercises, I think they would have been right.
It took me long time to even only read the book, but I managed in small increments per day.
It’s true, you can make it, even if you don’t think you would.
See? You're living your life, dragging it forward more likely, and then you bump by chance into this group where the founder is a nice woman who homeschooled her 5 children, who’s in charge of her house and who managed to write a book in only ten minutes increments a day.
At first I felt very stupid, because I thought that, for how busy my life it might seems, it’s not as busy as Katharine’s, but then I decided to be brave and think that maybe I had a chance too.
And, if you’re a time crunched person and also you have the big dream of writing, this book is for you.
Why did I take it so long? Well, because hey, I’m one of the target readers, I’m time crunched! Also, I decided that just reading it wouldn’t be fair to the author who decided to share with other people her experiences and her advices. So what I did was also completing the exercises, not all of them, as I had some topic covered already, but the majority.
I put the book on my phone, I created a new Notebook in Evernote and then I started to follow the advices.
Every morning, on the train to work I used my twenty minutes ride to read the book and do the exercises.
I did actually more than that, I decided to put into this book's hands my newest WIP, since it was just a small idea fluttering in my head.
And you know what? I have a full plot now! Some 10 minutes increments more and I’ll be able to start writing. I’m so excited.
But there is more.
A part from giving you the basic knowledge on how to build a book from scratches, Katherine gives you something else through her pages: she manages to make you understand that thanks to sacrifices and self discipline (something I've usually lacked of) you can do whatever you set your mind to.
In other words this book gives you hope.
You’re not alone out there, there are other people who understand what’s your life like and tell you that’s OK to have big dream, because with dedication and mental discipline you can make it, everybody can.
In other words this book gives you the forma mentis to start the job you want to do in your life.
Also I'd dare to say, this book pushes and stimulate you to use all your senses as a writer and it’s a totally powerful sensation. Since I read the pages and made the exercises associated to the observation, I haven’t used my earplugs and music anymore during the travel, because observation is much better. On the train and in the streets I listen, I observe (someone will kick me for staring at them sooner or later!), I smell and my brain is in continuous motion. And I love so much this sensation, I’m sure it will give me the chance of creating wonderful characters and situations.
The book is divided in four parts, each one of them concentrates on some aspect of the life as time crunched writer and of the craft itself.
Scattered through the text there are quotes from the greatest writers, something I personally love, because it makes it feel even more real and encouraging.
The longest part is the third one: "Sculpting the elements of story".
Inside this frame you learn everything you need to start a story from the beginning.
If you did some writing workshops before Katharine gives you a nice refresh and sometimes brand new insights on the matter.
If you didn't it, it doesn't matter, you have all you need here, from the character building to the plot creation.
As I said I decided to try on my brand new idea and I have almost an entire book outlined in my hands.
Personally I find difficult to adapt my plot to the three arcs story as I've always used another method I was taught at the very first workshop I followed in my life.
However, it is a very nice cross check method to test your story and your plot.
In the last bit of the book Katharine gives you also some advices on how to publish the book you've worked on with such dedication and sacrifice.
I think it's important she covered this bit as I'm as confused on this matter as any newbie can be.
It's only the second time I come across to a theory book on writing which doesn't make you feel like an idiot.
Katherine knows what does it mean being time crunched person and tells you what she knows in these pages.
You have the sensation to sit in your favorite auntie’s living room and get some tips from her about your passion over a cup of tea.
Considering the job you want to do, and if you read the book it’s likely that this is the case, having some tips coming from someone who really understand your situation is a blessing.
I can only be grateful I've come across this book, Katharine Grubb and her group of time crunched writers.
However, you have to try to believe what I've just seen. And when you'll do and you'll understand the beauty of the sensation through your own experience you'll feel as excited as I did!
So, still here?! Get a copy and let me know!
August 5, 2020
I thought this was a pretty good book. I've read a few of these now and its book that teaches you to write in small intervals. There are exercise, workshops, examples, checklists in small chunks that don't go on and on.
I will probably go on to own this book.
I will probably go on to own this book.
March 17, 2023
Lots of excellent exercises within but the rest is a bit muddled
April 21, 2025
There are a good bunch of practical advice and some really interesting ideas to explore.
April 21, 2015
This book was written by Katharine Grubb who is the leader of the Facebook group 10 Minute Novelists. As a member of this fantastic group, I was given the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.
This book is a "how to" book, but so much more. Katharine takes you through the whole process of turning your story into a novel. It is set up as a workbook. She starts you off with the very first thoughts about maybe writing a novel, takes you through the organization and planning process, explains the actual mechanics and development of the novel, and ends with how to go about publishing your finished product.
This book is set up as a work book. Each section has activities for you to do, or apps that will help out, or books on writing you can read. If you are contemplating writing a book or want to improve your writing, this is the book for you! It is a step by step guide through the whole writing process. It is written with humor, in an easy to understand language. I highly recommend this book to any aspiring authors out there.
Katharine is a very busy lady. She has five children that she home schools. She is the leader of the Facebook group 10 Minute Novelists, that has over 1,100 members. She hosts online chats 2 or 3 times weekly for that group. She is a blogger. In addition to all of the above, she is an author. Believe me when I tell you...If she can find time in her busy schedule to write....you can too.
This book is a "how to" book, but so much more. Katharine takes you through the whole process of turning your story into a novel. It is set up as a workbook. She starts you off with the very first thoughts about maybe writing a novel, takes you through the organization and planning process, explains the actual mechanics and development of the novel, and ends with how to go about publishing your finished product.
This book is set up as a work book. Each section has activities for you to do, or apps that will help out, or books on writing you can read. If you are contemplating writing a book or want to improve your writing, this is the book for you! It is a step by step guide through the whole writing process. It is written with humor, in an easy to understand language. I highly recommend this book to any aspiring authors out there.
Katharine is a very busy lady. She has five children that she home schools. She is the leader of the Facebook group 10 Minute Novelists, that has over 1,100 members. She hosts online chats 2 or 3 times weekly for that group. She is a blogger. In addition to all of the above, she is an author. Believe me when I tell you...If she can find time in her busy schedule to write....you can too.
May 3, 2015
The only problem with this book is it wasn't written sooner, when I muddled my way through my first novels and stumbled down the path to publication. Write a Novel in 10 Minutes a Day is the soup-to-nuts treatment for novel writing that moves beyond the courses to table manners and dinner conversation as well. I can't claim extensive reading of writing craft books, but this is the most exhaustive I've seen. Equal parts self-help book, reference guide, how-to, and workbook, once you've read this book, you'll be left with no excuses for not writing that novel.
While its breadth may be, in parts, intimidating to someone who (like I did) begins writing in blissful ignorance, its combination of practical advice and concrete examples has the potential to dramatically reduce the learning curve in crafting a well-written novel. For the more experienced writer, Write a Novel in 10 Minutes a Day is both affirming and challenging, rich with resources and ways to improve as a writer.
The style and format are light and easily-digestible with quick visual references, enabling the busy writer to pick it up and put it down as time permits, much like the recommended method of writing.
I am a member of the 10 Minute Novelists Facebook group started by the author, and I received a complimentary review copy of the book.
While its breadth may be, in parts, intimidating to someone who (like I did) begins writing in blissful ignorance, its combination of practical advice and concrete examples has the potential to dramatically reduce the learning curve in crafting a well-written novel. For the more experienced writer, Write a Novel in 10 Minutes a Day is both affirming and challenging, rich with resources and ways to improve as a writer.
The style and format are light and easily-digestible with quick visual references, enabling the busy writer to pick it up and put it down as time permits, much like the recommended method of writing.
I am a member of the 10 Minute Novelists Facebook group started by the author, and I received a complimentary review copy of the book.
April 20, 2015
Write A Novel In 10 Minutes A Day is a dream many people have and Katharine's book helps lead you to success. Katharine Grubb leads one of my favorite Facebook groups and through that I have the privilege of reviewing her book, Write A Novel In 10 Minutes A Day. This book will become a go-to reference guide for writers of this era. From the layout, which uses graphics to highlight specific sections, to the content, the book is a delightful read. Although craft books can seem overwhelming, this craft book is concise and informative. Whether you are new to writing or an old hand, this book is right for you. It's written in such a way that a novice writer has stepping stones to follow while a more advanced writer can still glean valuable tips and content for deepening skills. If you love writing, Katharine has saved you a lot of time by compiling lots of what you need to know in one place. You should add this book to your craft reference books.
April 21, 2015
Author Katharine Grubb took a break after drafting her third novel to write a nonfiction book, Write a Novel in Ten Minutes a Day.
But the subtitle is where the action is: “Because your dreams are worth 10 minutes.”
In addition to detailing all the things an author needs to think about when crafting a novel (and there are a lot of things), Katharine has included 9 chapters of advice that any writer, regardless of genre, can use.
This is a writer’s workshop in book form. And it’s useful to any writer with a book in her heart.
Full review here: http://franciscanmom.com/2015/04/20/t...
But the subtitle is where the action is: “Because your dreams are worth 10 minutes.”
In addition to detailing all the things an author needs to think about when crafting a novel (and there are a lot of things), Katharine has included 9 chapters of advice that any writer, regardless of genre, can use.
This is a writer’s workshop in book form. And it’s useful to any writer with a book in her heart.
Full review here: http://franciscanmom.com/2015/04/20/t...
July 6, 2016
This book is filled with interesting quotes on writing, good advice, and fun exercises to get you putting words on the page. I'd recommend this book to writers looking for a solid way to get started on their novel. While not all of the exercises could be done in ten minutes, the idea of writing in small segments is practical as well as encouraging. This book teaches the truth that even small amounts of writing are still accomplishments, and they really do build up to a complete project. I would definitely recommend this book.
January 4, 2016
This book was a fantastic resource when writing the first draft of my manuscript - I don't think it left my side the entire time! Full of useful exercises and helpful hints, Write A Novel in 10 Minutes a Day is a must-read for any aspiring novelist.
December 29, 2016
take the class . . . doesn't translate well into a how-to book but she seems to have the qualities necessary to teach well.
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