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How NOT To Write A Novel
A Book Review
Another Christmas has come and gone. And whilst you were busy sifting through the mountain of discarded wrapping paper, leftover chocolates and presents that had little or no thought behind them (another pair of socks, you shouldn’t have!), you might have found something really special.
Workplace Secret Santas are pretty commonplace. But as the team I’m a part of was only put together four months ago, I was curious as to what the gifts would be like. Add to the mix the fact that we’ve been so busy that there’s barely been time for getting to know one another, I was expecting people to go for either a “safe”gift, i.e. a bottle of wine, or a joke gift of some sort. I was pleasantly surprised.
For what I found when I unwrapped my gift was a copy of How NOT To Write a Novel by Sandra Newman & Howard Mittelmark. I’d never heard of it before, but I was immediately intrigued, not to mention grateful. My Secret Santa knew me and having now finished it, I can honestly say that it is one of the best books I have ever read. If you’re a wannabe published novelist like myself, I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Newman and Mittlemark will have you smiling from the very first page. They discuss the reasons why in a veritable ocean of books which tell you how to write, they went against the tide and focused on how…
