Thursday Reviews

Today, I'm pleased to announce a guest reveiwer, freelance writer and photographer, Mary Denman. Mary is one of my critique partners and I'm excited to bring you her review of Stein on Writing, by Sol Stein.

Are you thinking about writing a book one day? Maybe you already have a manuscript well under way. Then Sol Stein’s book, Stein on Writing is one you need to get your hands on quickly. A veteran editor of the publishing world, Stein takes his vast knowledge of the industry and offers you a chance to learn from one of the best.

What can you learn? Everything from creating fascinating characters to understanding plotting. He explains showing, not telling and how to create tension. Need to liposuction the flab from your writing? He covers that too. Throughout this book, Stein empowers you to go through your own work, whether you write fiction or nonfiction and edit it successfully.

His editor’s heart comes through in the teaching style found in the book. Not only does he explain what you need to know and look for to improve your writing, but he also gives examples from published authors to illustrate his point. And, to make sure you’re engaged and getting the most you can from the book, he has exercises in every chapter for you to put into practice what he just taught. This book will take you from the start of your manuscript to your final revisions.

When I talk to someone who’s just starting to write, this is one of the first books I recommend. It’s one of the foundational books for helping writers understand the many components and nuances of writing. The cover on my copy is starting to curl from use. Every time I pick up this book to reread it, I learn something new. And that makes it a valuable tool in a writer’s arsenal.

Mary Denman, a home-schooling mom with 5 kids, has been married to her college sweetheart Todd for 22 years. She began writing professionally a few years ago and has published articles in several magazine, including Focus on Your Child, by Focus on the Family. She’s also a published freelance photographer. She has finished her first novel for young adults and is well into the second book of the series.