Synopsis
“How I Write is for anyone who is hungry to find out more about Janet Evanovich does what she does.
- How she comes up with such remarkable characters, like Stephanie Plum, Lula, and Grandma Mazur
- How she finds out insider details
- Just how she thinks up those hair-raising plots
- Techniques on revising and editing
- What the life of a full-time writer is really like
- What she’d tell an aspiring author about the publishing industry
- And much, more more.
Written with nonfiction author and creative writing teacher Ina Yalof and with help from daughter Alex Evanovich, How I Write is the perfect guide for anyone looking to strengthen their writing, and for those who want to find out just what makes Janet Evanovich tick.”
-Synopsis from back cover
Review
How I Write: Secrets from a Bestselling Author is my ideal nonfiction read. I love books about writing, and books by authors about writing, so it’s safe to say I enjoyed this one.
The book consists of the top frequently asked questions which Alex Evanovich collected from Janet Evanovich’s website. I love that Janet’s daughter helped her bring this book to life! They cover everything from creating characters, the mechanics of writing, grammar, dialogue, writing actions scenes, structuring a novel, crafting a series, revising and editing, as well as personal topics about Evanovich’s writing life and daily routine.
I found this to be a fascinating read because I don’t think we really see people giving out advice these days the way that Evanovich does. Her advice is blunt and realistic about what it takes to be a writer, or at least the way she has succeeded in the field.
I found it to be a breath of fresh air and the advice she shares to be enlightening and encouraging. Something she echoes throughout the book is that she wants her books to be happy and for her readers to feel happy when they finish them, which is exactly how I feel after reading her books. It’s clear that for her, the writing process is fun and that is what makes her books so wonderful.
If you enjoy books about writing, you will definitely like this book. I would recommend checking out the audio because hearing her give advice in her own words is a treat.
Hannah's Library 