Author: Allison Tait and Valerie Khoo
ISBN: 978-0-6485559-0-2
RRP: $25.00
Publication Date: 8 June 2019
Publisher: Australian Writers Center Publishing
Copy: Courtesy of the Publisher
Believe me when I say that I have said the phrase “I would love to write a book” about a million times over the past few years. Then I did nothing about it because there was always something else going on in my life that I decided was far more important than any dream I might have for myself.
Even so, this dream has not gone away so when the opportunity to read ‘So You Want to be a Writer…How to get started (while you still have a day job)’ came along I pounced on it. The moment I started reading I thought “yup..this is me”. Having the dream but making excuses and mega procrastinating.
The thought of writing a novel is exciting yet at the same time daunting. So many words and so little time, at least I had myself convinced of that. However, this book really does show you that you can make the time. And, if you do make the time, and if it’s novel writing that you are interested in, you don’t need to sit down at the computer and slam out 80,000 words in a day.
Reading this book has taught me to attack things in smaller and more manageable chunks.
I have found that this book contains some very important information and wonderful advice from several successful published writers. It’s not only for those of us that want to write a novel. It is for anyone that wants to write in any form such as script writing, articles for magazines, children’s picture books, and so on.
One of the things the book covers is discovering what type of writer you want to be and what skills are needed to achieve your dream. Also included are tips on how to find and surround yourself with like minded people. How to gather ideas for your writing, and of course how to make time and how to write when you are tired and have no inspiration.
There is advice about creating your social media presence, and how to manage that professionally. Advice on what software programs can be of help when writing, and websites that can be amazing sources of information when you are researching for your article or novel.
I honestly found this book to be so chock a block full of such wonderful advice and inspiration that I instantly took one of the pieces of advice and that was to enter a writing competition. I have had this short story buzzing about in my head for years and finally, with thanks to reading this book, I felt spurred on and typed it out and I have entered it into a competition.
A competition that I have been looking at and thinking about for months, but felt if I entered and they rejected me it would be crushing because that would tell me that a had no talent for writing. Reading ‘So You Want to be a Writer’ has taught me that nothing could be further from the truth. Most very successful writers have had works rejected over and over, but you will never know if you dont at least give this a shot.
So I have started. It’s my first little step, but it won’t be my last. If writing is something that you have thought about but never done anything about, then I suggest that you get your hands on a copy of this book and absorb all the wonderful information contained within.
This is a book that I know I will be referring back to often and I’ll be reading it over and over.
This guest review was submitted by our Beauty and Lace Club member, Annamaree.
Im a Mum of 3 beautiful girls.
An avid reader that loves to travel but lacks the funds to venture far and wide constantly. A perfumeaholic with an addiction to beauty and skincare.
If not found with my head in a book or on a plane I can be found spending hours upon hour in Doctors and Hospital waiting rooms as part of my job as a Carer