Thanks, But This Isn't for Us: The Compassionate Guide to Understanding What's Wrong with Your Writing and Leaving the Rejection Pile for Good

by Jessica Page Morrell

A fun, practical guide that reveals the essentials of good fiction and memoir writing by exposing the most common mistakes literary writers make.

All great works of fiction and memoir are unique-but most bad novels, stories, and memoirs have a lot in common. From clunky dialogue to poorly sketchedout characters, sagging pacing to exaggerated prose, these beginners' mistakes drive any agent or editor to their stock rejection letter, telling the aspiring writer "Thanks, but this isn't for us," and leaving many to wonder what exactly it is that they're doing wrong.

Veteran writing coach, developmental editor, and writing instructor Jessica Page Morrell will fill in the gaps in every rejection letter you've ever received. In Thanks, But This Isn't for Us , Morrell uses her years of experience to isolate the specific errors beginners make, including the pitfalls of unrealistic dialogue, failing to "show, not tell," and over-the-top plot twists. These are just a few of the problems that keep writers from breaking through with their work. Sympathetic and humane, but pulling no punches, Thanks, But This Isn't for Us shows writers precisely where they've gone wrong and how to get on the right track. In sixteen to-the-point chapters, with checklists, exercises, takeaway tips, and a glossary, Morrell helps readers transcend these mistakes so that they don't have to learn the hard with another rejection letter.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Reference, Crafts, Self Help, Adult, Books About Books

368 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Mohammad Sadegh Rasooli · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://delsharm.blog.ir/1397/05/27/th...
بگذارید یک مقدمه پیش از معرفی کتاب بگویم. در آمریکا،‌ انگلیس و احتمالاً بسیاری از کشورهای اصطلاحاً پیشرفته روند نشر یک کتاب این گونه است که نویسنده‌های نوپا پیش‌نویس نوشته‌شان را برای یک شرکت ویراستاری می‌فرستند. نقش ویراستار آن است که نخست ببیند آیا کتاب قابلیت فنی حداقلی را دارد یا خیر. اگر داشته باشد، آیا در همهٔ اجزا انسجام کافی وجود دارد یا خیر. اگر منسجم است، آیا می‌تواند توجه خواننده‌های امروز را به خود جلب کند یا خیر. به این بیان، ویراستار کسی نیست که چهار تا غلط نگارشی را گوش‌زد کند که این کار نمونه‌خوان هم می‌تواند باشد، بلکه ویراستار خودش استاد داستان‌نویسی و منتقد است. اگر همهٔ این مراحل به سلامت بگذرد، تازه کار به پیدا کردن ناشر می‌کشد. البته آمار دقیقی وجود ندارد ولی ظاهراً در یک درصد موارد با موفقیت انجام می‌شود و در اکثریت مطلق پیش‌نویس بازگردانده می‌شود با یک نامهٔ محترمانه که «با تشکر، به کار ما نمی‌آید.» تازه مرحلهٔ ناشر نیز ساده نیست. خیلی از ناشرها به سادگی به نویسنده‌های نوپا اعتماد نمی‌کنند و تا مطمئن نشوند که حاشیهٔ اطمینانی برای فروش وجود دارد کار را به طراحی جلد و صفحه‌آرایی نمی‌فرستند. بعد از این مرحله، پیش‌نویس کتاب را برای نشریات تخصصی ادبی یا دارای ستون ادبی مانند نیویورکر یا بوستون‌گلوب می‌فرستند تا آن‌ها بر کتاب نقد بنویسند. سپس بخش‌های ممتاز آن نقد را برمی‌دارند و می‌گذارند روی جلد و پشت جلد کتاب. یک مرحلهٔ دیگر هم باقی می‌ماند و آن هم تبلیغ گسترده است. مثلاً اگر کتابی بتواند ظرف یک هفته پنج هزار جلد بفروشد،‌ تبدیل به پرفروش نیویورک‌تایمز می‌شود. این طوری یک برچسب اضافی هم روی جلد می‌خورد که کتاب پرفروش نیویورک‌تایمز است. همهٔ این‌ها را خواستم بگویم که یکی از هزاران دلیل عدم اقبال به کتاب در ایران، روند غیرحرفه‌ای نشر کتاب است. وقتی کتابِ بد در بازار زیاد باشد، کتاب خوب به قاعدهٔ «آتش که گرفت، خشک و تر می‌سوزد» از چشم می‌افتد. اصلاً هیچ راهی به جز شناختن خود نویسنده، که در مورد نویسنده‌های تازه‌کار محال است، برای شناخت کتاب خوب در ایران وجود ندارد.

مقدمه زیاده از حد طولانی شد. برگردیم به این کتاب. این کتاب را «جسیکا مورل» ویراستار حرفه‌ای و استاد داستان‌نویسی به این هدف نوشته است که به جای اصول‌نامهٔ نوشتن، به اصول‌نامهٔ "چطوری ننوشتن" بپردازد. کتاب پر است از نکاتی که نویسنده‌های نوپا چه در داستان‌نویسی، چه در سفرنامه و خاطره‌نویسی دچار اشتباه می‌شوند. مثلاً این که بیشتر از حد از فلش‌بک استفاده می‌کنند، احساسات را از درام تبدیل به ملودرام (مبالغه و افراط در احساسات)‌ می‌کنند، همهٔ شخصیت‌ها یک‌شکل‌اند، صحنه‌ها پخته و شناسنامه‌دار نیستند، در استفاده از توصیفات با قیدها افراط می‌کنند و بسیاری از این نکات که خلاصه‌اش خودش یک کتابچه می‌شود. به خاطر زیاد بودن نکات آموزشی، من این کتاب را به تدریج و در عرض یک هفته خواندم تا دچار بمباران اطلاعات نشوم ولی باز هم این اتفاق برایم افتاد. همین که زیر نکات مهم را خط کشیدم جای شکرش را باقی گذاشته است.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes I get the impression that writers believe their stories should be read simply because they wrote them — not because they wrote the best story they could.

So, I have a confession to make to all my Goodreads peeps: I have written a book.

It's in the final revision stage. I've joined a few online critique groups and have had a few people read the entire manuscript and I've gotten generally positive feedback. (As in, "I think this is good enough to be published" feedback.) Only from casual readers and fellow aspiring writers, not from agents or publishers, alas, but at least what I have always believed about myself - that I'm a pretty decent writer - has been confirmed by a few people who are not my mother or my high school English teacher.

But, I haven't been published. Well, technically I have, if you count my freelance writing for Steve Jackson Games. (Sigh. In Nomine. That poor orphaned, mishandled RPG.) But I have yet to be the published author of a novel. So of course as I prepare for the query and submission stage where my dream of becoming a Real Author will probably meet reality the way a bug meets a windshield, I have been reading a fair amount of writing books, hanging out on writers' forums, etc. I've gotten pretty good at critiquing myself, though the victimssubjects of my critique don't always appreciate it. Be warned: online critique groups are mostly made up of sane and reasonable people with thick skins and a realistic assessment of their own writing abilities, but there are a fair few special snowflakes who will go batshit when you tell them their baby is ugly.

Anyway.

I am giving Thanks, But This Isn't For Us only 3 stars, not because it's not a pretty good book of writing advice, but because for me, it didn't really tell me anything new. I think it's a good book for the new writer, the writer who has yet to face the flames of impartial criticism, the writer who is just venturing into the idea of getting published. Jessica Morrell goes through all the basics: how to write dynamic stories, avoiding infodumps, melodrama, purple prose, dialog disasters, wimpy protagonists, making characters interesting yet sympathetic yet larger than life yet believable, etc. She gives many examples of "dealbreakers" that have made her, as a freelance editor, beat her head on the desk over the years.

Now, one thing that might bug the artsy MFA types (though they probably don't need this book and won't read it) is that this is primarily a book about writing marketable fiction (or memoir, a category Morrell devotes some time to, in trying to explain to aspiring memoirists why their disappointing childhood in the 'burbs might not be such a compelling tearjerker to other people who are not the author). It's not about writing literary fiction per se (and she barely touches on non-fiction). So most of her advice ranges from addressing the mechanics to addressing issues that will make agents and editors pass on a manuscript. This of course gives wannabe writers plenty of excuses to say "Oh, she's not talking to me! I like to play with the rules! I am writing highly literary/experimental fiction!" Or "But (Famous Big-Name Author) does that, so what do you mean it makes you roll your eyes?"

Again, this book isn't about finding your voice, walking your writerly path, dancing with your muse, unleashing your left-brained inner child and writing the Great American Novel. You may do all that along the way, but this book is about crafting a salable product, which means, among other things, being familiar with the conventions of contemporary fiction and giving readers what they want to read (and more importantly, what they are willing to pay for). If you are the next Cormac McCarthy or Mark Z. Danielewski, you can toss this book and let your muse do a few lines and then start writing. But most mortals have to convince someone their shit can sell. (So did McCarthy and Danielewski, they just didn't need to convince anyone they needed punctuation.)

Morrell gets to rant to us in a way she can't rant to her clients, who pay her to try to whip crap manuscripts into shape. She does so (sort of) compassionately, because you can tell she desperately wants writers to get the reasons why they are receiving rejections. Most of what she talks about though, could be picked up in a good writing class or from hanging out on Absolute Write. She's addressing the writers who haven't done the work yet of learning what makes writing not suck.

It's always comforting to read about the incoherent crap other people write and tell yourself "Well, I'm sure glad I don't write like that!"

But honestly, I am at the stage now where I am confident that I have the mechanics, not just of writing technically competent prose, but a technically competent story, pretty well under control. That does not mean I'm good enough to be published. Lots of people can write a book that has all the basic ingredients of Story written in a competent manner. Admittedly, from what I've read from agents' and editors' blogs, even accomplishing that much will put you ahead of about 95% of the other stuff in the slush pile, but that remaining 5% is still an awful lot of competition. Does my writing really have the spark, the hook, the pace, the characterization, the creativity, the shine, that will actually make people want to buy my book? I dunno. But those qualities are a bit more ineffable than "Learn how to punctuate dialog" and "Maintain a consistent POV," or even "Make sure your scenes are all doing something important and are organized appropriately."

Anyway, for a young writer, for a raw writer, for the writer we all know who's either a teenager or someone who's "always wanted to write a book" but hasn't actually written anything substantial since they graduated college years and years ago, Thanks, But This Isn't For Us would be a good book to hand them about the time they have completed their first draft (and before they ask you to read it). It's a good primer on writing publishable fiction, and might help a newbie build up the tough hide they'll need before someone who doesn't care about hurting their feelings reads their work.

I don't think there is much more I can get out of "how to write" books written at this level. I am sure some outstanding authors have written books about their own process that may flip a switch or two for me, and there is plenty I can still learn from critiques of my work and reading others' work. But mostly, I think if you've got the chops, you become a better writer by writing... and of course, reading. A lot.

And if I do get published, I promise not to pester all my Goodreads friends to read my book. :D

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

My list of life goals (I detest the term "bucket list" as it implies that death will politely wait while we finish) is short but ambitious. Own a home with at least one secret passage. Foster 100 pets (currently stalled on #3). Sew a quilt. Own a horse. See Alphonse Mucha originals in Prague. Never weigh more than 130lbs. Journal 1,000 books...hey-oh, number sixty-seven! Some are important and some are silly; some passive and some active; some inevitable and others nearly impossible. But by far the most intimidating on my list is:

Write. A. Book.

Phew! I'm terrified just typing it. I've never discussed this before...it's scary! And the reason it's scary is because it's one of the important ones. Here's why:

I have received more joy in my life from reading than from any other activity. Reading made me wise and worldly. By the time I was in elementary school, I had already survived the freezing wilderness with only a hatchet, watched my father die in a Nazi death march, rescued the princesses Rhyme and Reason, and lived many lives in many times that were not my own. I grew through books--in experiences, in knowledge, and in judgement--into myself. (And I love myself. I dunno guys, I'm just, like, fucking great.)

In this context it is impossible that I wouldn't want to write one myself one day. Other people contribute their children to the world--I plan to contribute literature to guide them, as I was guided. Which brings me, rather circuitously, to this book.

Thanks, But This Isn't For Us is the best book on writing I've ever read. (And here follows a lot of problematic noun/verb arrangements.) Writing advice is often written by writers who concoct some kind of quasi-spiritual, over-intellectual navel-gazey "thoughts on writing" whose true intent is to obscure, to mystify. I understand the impulse, because few arts can be mastered through consumption alone. Watching lots of movies doesn't teach you how to load a camera, but reading lots of books can (not does but can) teach you everything you need to be a great writer. In fact, I suspect that this is how most great writers became great: through aggressive, thoughtful consumption of words.

This book captures both big-picture topics (conflict! character! tone!) as well as nuts-and-bolts instructions (seek out and destroy adverbs! your protagonist should spend a minority of their time alone! you can't name a 14 year-old girl Sue or Martha, this isn't 1958, what the hell is wrong with you?!). Much of it is common sense to an avid reader, but Morrell captures much that is extremely-self evident only after it is so deftly articulated. I can see puffed-up "artistes" snubbing the advice as obvious, but...yeah, call me when they've got a book deal.

Her advice is thematic, and its core is best summarized as DON'T BORE ME. Don't write about wimps, don't describe them as they look into a mirror, don't use cliched turns of phrase in said description, don't give the protagonist what s/he wants, don't give the audience what they expect...and don't fill the page with invaluable words. Every word, scene, event, and character must be vital to propel the story into frightening and unsafe territory. Also: structure is your friend! You are not [darling experimental convention-eschewing hipster-ass writer's writer] so don't act like it. Quit whining and put your left-brain to use.

Speaking of which... Her left-brained advice on plotting and structure is invaluable. She suggests what a first draft, a second draft, and a third draft should accomplish, and what you should be focusing on at that point. There are great organization tips, particularly in the last few chapters. And the sources at the end of each chapter are a catalog of every semi-decent writing manual ever published. Morrell has done her homework to make yours easier.

I had to buy my own copy because the library version had an entire chapter torn out. Yes, that's how good it is! My copy is slathered in highlighter--I dried two of them out on its pages. Her advice is rooted in the practical considerations of an editor, not the wishy-washy mystical mumbo-jumbo of a self-important writer. Artists may cringe at the question "is it marketable?" but if you ignore it, you are ignoring your audience's thirst for water by trying to cram sand down their throats.

Morrell's voice is clear and funny, in an exasperated "surrounded by idiots" kind of way. But, as the title implies, she has great compassion for the would-be writer. She knows how they put themselves out there, how they toil, how they will be torn apart by the ravenous jackals fo an aquisitions department, and she's trying to help you. Many people who ask for advice ultimately don't want it and won't heed it--they are just sniffing around for quick fixes, tricks, and the surprised accolades from someone who's seen it all. I, for one, will carve her words onto my heart.

(Your eyes do not deceive you. This is a special double-length review! The last one was Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Ironically, that book needs her advice more than any other.)

[Shannon Winward · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been enjoying this more than most writing help books, as the author, an editor, has a snarky sense of humor. Also she gives a LOT of specific examples of stupid stuff that writers do.

I've noticed, though, that I tend to have one of two reactions to her examples.

1. "Haha, writers who do that are such dorks."
2. "I do that and it's completely justified in my case. This editor is a dork."

Maybe I should take this as a hint to re-think the "deal-breakers" in my novel, which maybe aren't as justifiable ad I think they are.

On the other hand, there are tidbits of advice, like this:

From "Quick and Dirty Tips for Keeping Readers Worried and Uneasy" (pg. 101):

While fiction is imbued with tension and suspense, if every moment is fraught with horror and nonstop action, the results are melodrama and a story that exhausts the reader. The solution is to intersperse breathers throughout the story where you turn down the tension a notch.

Okay, sounds sensible. But, two bullets down:

Do not open scenes with characters waking up or end them with characters going to sleep - this kills suspense.

So, disregarding the scenes in which a character is jolted awake by a strange noise or finds herself in a strange room or on an alien spaceship or covered in blood or has to throw up because, oh no, maybe she's pregnant (examples in which a scene that begins with a character waking to tension or suspense)... can't a writer end a series of spine-tingling, edge-of-your-seat action and suspense by letting the character tumble exhausted into a ravine, or drift off blissfully after an amazing bout of sex, or nervously curl into herself feeling moderately secure because there's a security guard outside her door. To, you know, intersperse a "breather"?

Which reminds me why writing help books can be useful but should not be taken as gospel, word for word. In this case the editor is lumping together every kind of bad writing she's had to deal with and presenting it as "don't do this" advice in order to bulk up her book - and probably a lot of them are story elements that many writers handle poorly. But that doesn't mean they can never work, ever.

So.

(12/17/10)

[Timothy Boswell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Morrell's book is one of the most helpful writing/publishing guides that I've encountered, in large part because she refuses to pull any punches. She is like that friend you treasure for her brutal honesty--the one you go to not to get cheered up, but to have someone look you in the eyes, put her hands on your shoulders, and tell you like it is.

This isn't a book about the beauty of writing, the joys of a well-told story, or the thrill of connecting with your characters so effortlessly that the prose flows from your fingers like liquid gold... at least, not directly. It's more about taking a long, cold look at the words on your pages, seeing them the way an agent/editor/publisher will see them without the fondness you bear for this story, and then being equipped to take action when your precious baby is not as adorable as you thought.

Don't get me wrong, Morrell loves a good story and is a huge supporter of writers everywhere, as she clearly communicates. But sometimes being a real friend... or coach, or editor, etc. etc.... means speaking the truth even when it hurts.

I can't speak for all writers, but I certainly need this from time to time. The advice was helpful, specific, and generally spot on, and I've recommended this book to many others. Great addition to your writing craft bookshelf.

[Reba Reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

Got to the end of chapter two before I realized I hadn't learned anything yet. Useful for inept beginners of the writing world. I bought this book expecting to learn about the secrets of the publishing industry but instead discovered I should give myself more credit for the level of knowledge I apparently possess.

[Madi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful. Will probably buy a copy for reference

[Lada · Rating 5 out of 5]

This editor managed to point out all the mistakes in my crappy fiction without ever reading it. I hate her as much as she would hate reading my work. This is an excellent guide, if you can stand hearing it from a jaded, exasperated person who has had to read and try to fix too much bad writing.

[Bianca Orellana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I checked this one out at the library and renewed it until I couldn't renew it anymore. So much good, useful information! And a good insight into the current industry.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second time I have read this book and it's awesome. A very helpful tool when looking at your own writing.

[Jessica Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource for the writing life.

[J.D. Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, concise and filled with honest, punch-to-the-gut guidance, this book is a winner. If you are a writer who cannot (for the life of you) figure out why your manuscript is lagging, missing something or just plain not working; do yourself a favour: read this book! I had been struggling with rewrites for weeks, but after reading one-third of this book, my brain was overflowing with ideas on how to improve the plot and structure of my novel. The rest of the book gave me so (so) many tips on how to edit and rewrite the story.

If you are self-aware and open to hard criticism and reality, this book is a good developmental editor in print form. If you are not self-aware or open to harsh criticism, you should probably rethink a career in writing.

[Henry Gasko · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author is a writing coach and teacher who has written some books but nothing you might have heard. However that does not mean she is necessarily a bad teacher. In fact I found this to be really good as an introductory book on writing. Nothing that I have not heard before, but it was very good to see it clearly laid out in one place.

Morrell likes to see herself as tough coach. She says quite explicitly that your book is a product to be marketed and sold. And the competition is pretty stiff – maybe 1% of submissions are published in any field. So her advice can be harsh.

The basic approach is very much genre writing: an interesting proactive person with a problem sets out to solve it, with some sort of resolution occurring in the final third, even if it is only a partial resolution. The sections on story structure are very clear and well-argued, as are most of the “craft” chapters on dialog, setting, editing and so on. Morrell gives the reader lots of examples of how NOT to do things, but the examples of how to actually do stuff are a bit more limited, though still useful.

The main problem is that there are many times where the author says that you must do something but not over-do it. This is the case in the chapters about creating interesting (but not over-the-top characters), about starting your novel with lots of action (but not TOO much that the reader will be overwhelmed), finding the emotion in your story (but not to the extent of being maudlin or sentimental); making your prose should “sparkle” but avoid it being “purple”.

You get the idea. There is a constant feeling that you just have to “know” when you are doing “it” right and when you are “over-doing it” – there are no clear guidelines for this, simply because you can’t put hard and fast guidelines around something that is inherently subjective and can’t be measured in any meaningful way. The negative examples are clearly doing it wrong but that doesn't mean the positive examples are going to help YOU do it right.

Nevertheless this is a useful and entertaining book covering all the basics. And there is a useful list of books and articles for further reading at the end of each chapter if you want to go into something in more detail. All in all, very worthwhile if you are a beginner, and quite useful even if you are not.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jessica Page Morrell's book, Thanks, But This Isn't For Us: A (Sort of) Compassionate Guide to Why Your Writing Is Rejected, had me interested as soon as I saw the title. Tough love writing advice? Sign me up.


The overall tone is part compassionate, bigger part rant. Morell is primarily an editor by trade and I can envision her sitting at her computer, typing emphatically and with a frown, occassionally pausing to mutter, "Ugh, I hate it when they do that."


Scattered throughout are comments you just know come from repeated experience dealing with other people's egos, like, "You need to see yoursef as a skilled laborer, not an artiste who awakes each morning wondering how best to flirt with your muse. This means you write with a fully loaded toolbox of craft and habits and understanding" (34-35).


And, in keeping with the tough tone, it seems that toolbox should include a pair of pliers: "Thus your first job as a fiction writer is to imagine yourself as a sadist, a torturer par excellence who dreams up ways to taunt, torment, test, and ruin your protagonist" (63). Here she's talking about writers who are reluctant to make their character face hardship and why that's bad. Hello! Conflict drives stories!


I found myself nodding in a number of places. I also found myself skimming a few, too. There are definitely good bits in the book, like the sections titled "Deal Breakers" where she makes it clear that if an editor sees this in your submission, it's highly likely to get tossed. Do not pass GO, do not collect $200.


However, there are times where she doesn't fully explain her thoughts, expecting that the reader will intuit what she means. If you're a practiced writer (and reader of rough drafts), you'll get it. If you're not, you may be left scratching your head.


On the whole, it's an alright book. I found myself making notes as I went, jotting things I should tighten/tweak in my novel draft. It didn't change my life, but I'm finding it a useful tool and it appeals to my snarky side.

[Erika Westman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up at the library, along with a pile of how to write fiction books from the 808.3 non-fiction shelf. Morrell--who works as an agent, editor, and teacher--has a bias for genre fiction and memoir, and she rightly comments that literary fiction is a ridiculously competitive field. I happen to like literary fiction more than Morrell, but that aside, she explains well the principles of good writing and these apply to all fiction. Because Morrell has seen hundreds of manuscripts, stories in the making, she's been able to pick up on the key patterns of what work, and the many ways that stories can fall apart. She doesn't pull any punches with writers who have a long way to go to understand the craft. She's also seen her fair share of quacks in the writing business, and recommends that they put their writing on hold until they've had ten years of successful therapy. Fair enough. She's noticed over the years that successful writers tend to have their shit together, lead happy lives, have stable relationships, and pursue other interests beyond writing. Overall, the book is great for getting an insider's perspective on what it is to be an agent or acquisitions editor, looking at piles of manuscripts, and understanding why most of them get rejected. But there's also plenty of constructive information of how to make fiction work. I might end up buying a copy of this one to keep on the shelf.

[Ryan Mishap · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll let you in on a dirty secret unknown to me when I began this book: Morrell is going to tell you how to shape and sharpen a product, not a story. The aim here isn't truly better storytelling, but stuffing your creation into a narrow vacuum seal tube that will zoom straight into a willing publisher's printing queue.

Okay, now that you know what it is all about, let's talk about what this is all about. I do not normally read writing books, but this got a good review in Library Journal and I've been meaning to read a few writng books, really, I have.

The book is in sections relating to such things as Openings, Scenes, Dialogue, and more. Each chapter provides examples of bad writing she calls Dealbreakers--these are quite fun, actually, and many are very obvious. Morrell is pretty fun, too, and I liked her more at the end of the book than in the middle.

She provides some writing tasks to try, book suggestions, and concise, bulleted lists summarizing each chapter's advice. The last chapter is the most encouraging.

Contrary as I am, I wanted to start writing a novel that employed every "Dealbreaker" in the book--wouldn't that be fun!

So, I don't know if this will help you get published--that isn't my writing goal--but it is worth checking out to glean some basic writing tips (especially if you didn't go to a creative writing program).

[Nic · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't have big gripes about this, but I stopped about sixty pages in (out of around three hundred fifty pages), mostly because I felt the advice was stuff I'd seen before. This was true of some of the tips in How Not to Write a Novel, but that book cast them in a new and hilarious light. This one would probably be fine for people who haven't already read one point five gazillion books on writing. I would maybe have liked more concrete examples, though.

[Jennifer Worrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great stuff in here. I recommend reading this BEFORE you get to the editing stage of your work, maybe even before that. Why not get ahead? It's pretty cutthroat in an amusing way, probably because I haven't sent out my novel yet. I found some things I can look at in my current WIP and hopefully make stronger.

There are ideas about creating a bible for your characters, a glossary of literary and publishing terms, and tips on writing in general.

[Shennandoah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolute must for any aspiring writer. Most books on writing are dry, dull, and focus more on commas than substance. Morrell has an enjoyable style and stuffs every page with useful tips and examples. The "Quick and Dirty" tips at the end of every chapter make it easy to start incorporating new techniques and see immediate improvement in your writing.

[TheOriginalNikeGirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not actually finished with this, but I haven't had it out from the library for several months now. I would LIKE to finish this at some point, or at least buy a copy to flip through whenever I'm revising.

What I did read was very useful, clear, and interestingly conveyed information. Highly recommend to any aspiring writers out there.

[Alicia Gregoire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably one of the best books in craft I've read. Morrell explains specific problems that arise in manuscripts in a no-bullshit way and ends each chapter with a list of important tips and references. This is a definite must read for every writer.

[T.C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't highbrow. Even and especially a literary writer can learn from it for its no-nonsense approach to what makes a readable plot that keeps people turning pages.

[Melissa]

A good bunch of advice that I agree with so strongly, I had already long ago adopted all her suggestions. That’s why this needed one more chapter that said “Even after you’ve done all this, you’ll probably still get rejected over and over because people’s tastes are just different.” I have never tried to query an agent, I’ve only ever submitted short stories to literary magazines and short story contests. I make it to the final round of contests, occasionally shortlist, but have never won. That’s why the “be tough” chapter is so important. I guess I was kinda hoping for a little secret sauce—why are my stories, with all their clean, evocative prose, strong clear-cut characters, and plots that resolve satisfyingly always rejected? I suspect that literary magazines don’t want stories with resolutions or endings. Maybe it’s because I’m a reader of novels, but personally, I hate that. I get very frustrated reading the often-pointless short stories that make it. But of course I also find stories I think are wonderful, especially in places like The New Yorker or the other best-of-the-best publications. There’s a story that was in Granta that I’m obsessed with and that makes me think I’ll never be good enough. So okay, maybe I’ll never get into Granta, but it would be nice to get a story into a small pub or two.

[Sheila Jenné · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books on writing I've read. I should warn you that it's harsh. It left me wanting to throw things away. Because, you see, it's mostly what not to do. She won't tell you the secret to writing a novel the right way; she'll only list all the wrong ways.

And yet, I trust her advice more than many others because she doesn't pretend there's one right way. Your plot should involve the transformation of the protagonist...most of the time. You should cut out descriptions....unless you tend to under-describe. So it felt a little more credible than writing books that sell a formula and guarantee it works. Or those that go on and on about their favorite books and how you should definitely write like that, but without getting into the nitty gritty of how you'll know when you've done it.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read many craft books and this one by Jessica Morrell is of the most helpful I’ve found. Perhaps it’s because of her brutal honesty. She tells writers how an agent or publisher would view their work. I loved her examples of great writing and not-so-great writing, what to do and especially what NOT to do. Her advice was specific and usable.

This book saved me a lot of time and agony. I immediately revised the first chapter of my novel based on her advice. It starts with action now, instead of a character at home thinking about what she’s going to do!

If you’re trying to get a book published. You need this.

[K.F. Silver · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was expecting either an intermediate or advanced craft book.

While there is good information here, and some aptly-worded gems, the vast majority of the book seems to be geared to the beginning writer. The information is too general, and frankly often unhelpful, for much beyond a basic understanding of a wide variety of craft techniques. I'm sure if I were to have read this at the beginning of my writing journey, I would have gained much more from it.

Alas, for me this was a disappointment.

[Cage Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably step two of ' how to edit' learning curves. And it will drag the veil from your eyes - the ' deal-breakers' are enlightening, and reinforces why readers also won't read if the writer does these things.
Simple, clear, and at times with a quiet humour, this read will help you once you reached ' the end' the first time. And the second time.
Thank you, Ms Morrell

[Virginia Weir · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good craft book.

This book is good basic writing advice for authors looking to be published. It covers a variety of subjects and is an easy read without being frivolous or generic. She provides detail without overwhelming the reader. The author is also a professional editor and provides us with examples of how not to do things from her professional life.

[Katharine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skimmed this book, but seemed full of helpful info and I probably will want to return to it later.

[pianogal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked this one. Lots of good, honest, actionable advice here. I can't even imagine some of the things the author's had to read over her career. Glad she can help us be better writers.