How to Write a Damn Good Novel: A Step-By-Step No Nonsense Guide to Dramatic Storytelling

I was writing for at least five or six years before I bought this book. The cheesy title put me off. I'd had moderate success but I hadn't, despite investing in countless other books on writing learnt how to properly define and develop a premise or look at my manuscript objectively. Both big problems if you want to write anything well. So I swallowed my literary ego and sought the support of our friend Mr Frey. And he is our friend. This man has named this book in the same way Ronseal branded their wood preservative. It does exactly what it says on the tin. I read this book cover to cover twice, made some notes, took a long hard look at my work and wrote a response to the professional that had sent me some crushing editorial feedback. I outlined my own thoughts on corrections for my manuscript. They were impressed. I was relieved. I've never looked back. If you want to write. If you really, really want to know, you could do a lot worse than to start with this book. It's honest, it's readable and damn it, it's funny. Good luck!

Very helpful n interesting read

Very impressed with this book on the craft of writing a dramatic novel. James Frey lays out the major building blocks that are required in an orderly fashion with no fluff to confuse the aspiring author. A new, or even an experienced writer could benefit from reading this book on the craft of writing I believe.

How to Write a Damn Good Novel is an excellent read for novelists, especially beginners. Frey has packed this book with actionable information that will help writers craft, well,...a good novel. The book addresses everything from character and conflict to storytelling and dialogue. If you've never completed a novel or if you're trying to polish or rework one, this book is a vital and indispensable tool. Frey is good at instructing the writer, not only on what to do, but on how to do it. He discusses many techniques that are useful for writers, then gives examples showing how these techniques have been used in the published works of successful authors. In How to Write a Damn Good Novel, you'll learn which device is the most misused and overworked device in fiction writing, the three commandments of dynamic prose, how to connect with your readers on an emotional level, how to draft a step sheet, how to determine the best viewpoint for your novel, and many more elements that are critical to writing a novel. *An important note: This book primarily addresses the technical aspects of crafting a good novel (structure, dialogue, creating dynamic characters, etc). I mention this because it seems that How to Write a Damn Good Novel is repeatedly compared to other writing books, books that are more about the emotional and psychological obstacles of writing as opposed to a fundamental discussion on the how-to's of crafting a good novel. As such, it seems that many reviewers are trying to draw an apples-to-apples comparison that is more akin to comparing apples to oranges. In its own right, How to Write a Damn Good Novel is a practical and useful tool to help writers with the technical and fundamental aspects of structuring and writing a good novel. Highly recommended.

I am very satisfied with the information in this book; it is far more useful than the writing classes I took when I was in college for my degree in English. I've recommended it to my writing partners, and am happy to rate it five stars.