How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy is a great primer that would be valuable for anyone just starting to write in these genres.
One valuable featuHow to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy is a great primer that would be valuable for anyone just starting to write in these genres.
One valuable feature of the book is the numerous examples of well-written and not-so-well-written science fiction. These do tend to be more science fiction than fantasy, so fantasy authors may be disappointed. Another is the extensive list of science fiction and fantasy authors Card recommends.
This book seems to be geared to anyone new to writing science fiction or fantasy, and especially a newer writer. I’m glad to have found a short book that has all the basics covered so clearly. It will serve me well as a great reference whenever I get bogged down or just want to refocus.
While somewhat dated, especially in the publishing section, most of the book present writing tips that are timeless. While I already knew some of what Card taught, his book filled in some gaps in my knowledge. Each author brings their own perspective to the writing and creative process, and I learned much from Card's slant on what I had learned elsewhere.
Beyond the writing tips, Card’s book is inspirational. He closes one chapter with what I think sums up one of the great purposes of science fiction and fantasy: “Speculative fiction […] provides a lens through which to view the real world better than it could ever be seen with the natural eye.�
Beginning writers, anyone new to writing science fiction, or any writer who wants a short work on the basics of fiction writing will all benefit from reading this book. ...more
After reading Nick Thacker’s new book Welcome Home: The Author’s Guide to Building a Marketing Home Base, I ended up with about four pages of notes anAfter reading Nick Thacker’s new book Welcome Home: The Author’s Guide to Building a Marketing Home Base, I ended up with about four pages of notes and a lengthy to do list. Welcome Home offers some great advice for any author trying to build a platform and ultimately, sell more books.
Of particular value to me were the sections on twitter and writing blog posts. While I’ve been struggling along for years trying to make a go of blogging as a book marketing strategy and have read countless books, blog posts and reports, Welcome Home offers some of the best advice I’ve found. Finally I’ve found a book that helped me put all the pieces together. Finally I feel like I have a plan that will work for me.
I highly recommend Welcome Home to any author trying to become successful at marketing books on the internet. As a side note, I was given a free copy of this book to review. However, since I’ve read another of Nick’s books, I would probably have bought this one and would have felt it was worth every penny. ...more
Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World is the book I’ve been waiting for, the book I wish I read years ago.
As the second subtitle states, author Micha Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World is the book I’ve been waiting for, the book I wish I read years ago.
As the second subtitle states, author Michael Hyatt lays out “a step-by-step guide for anyone with something to say or sell.� Clearly, concisely and in easy-to-understand prose, Hyatt gives instructions from product development, launch, and marketing.
I found the chapters on using social media especially helpful. Hyatt shares what worked for him and gives helpful guidelines. For example, the twitter chapters start with the value of twitter, and proceed through how to set up an account, find followers, and how to efficiently use twitter to your advantage.
Few people go into such detail, or offer such practical details such as how often to tweet or what kind of content to include or how to automate and schedule your tweets.
To be sure, Hyatt had a head start on most of us when it comes to building a platform because of his long career in publishing, including eight years as CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers. But that doesn’t diminish his success in using social media to promote his books, or mean that his advice won’t work for an average person.
I can’t recommend this book highly enough. Every page offers useful information; the chapters are short and to the point. Avid followers of Hyatt’s blog may not find much new in the book. True social media experts may also feel the same. But for new authors or speakers, or people like me who have been struggling for a few years, Platform is a book that makes sense of the new wild world of social media and gives hope that success is in reach....more
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