This is a book about (surprise!) overcoming writer's block, but it is also a pat-on-yourback, big-hug, ya-ya society of authors book.

With totally delightful deadpan wit, Jenna Glatzer (who owns http://www.absolutewrite.com, a great resource in and of itself) offers many practical solutions to push your out-of-gas pickup over the roadhump on the way to writing success. There are writing prompts, cues for taking ideas from your surroundings, and suggestions as varied as plaguerizing as a prompt and taking a bubble bath to refresh your mind! There are also great pointers for dealing with a block mid-writing, for times when your characters are falling flat (such as switch genders, invert crucial choices - things to get your brain juiced on your characters and plot again).

The undercurrent throughout the book, however, is empowerment. YOU can do it, YOU are competent, capable, better than your rejection slips, etc, etc. The author has a realism in her tone, which makes you identify with her - and that makes you believe her when she tells you YOU are a real author, despite your block, dysfunctional characters, plot absurdities, and so on.

I sailed through this book - it was totally entertaining as well as helpful. If you want some practical pointers as well as a smile - check it out!

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Created Dec 01, 2003 at 12:17pm • Submit your own review...