How to Write Your Novel in Nine Weeks [Kindle Edition]

This concise book is fun to read, interesting and informative. But doing the actual writing each day is so difficult that one needs to be a hermit or have a soundproof room far away from any intruders. Even then, just staring at the wall can be more fascinating than typing a few sentences. But Bill Dodds and Willie Sockspeare won't let us rest until we've done what we always wanted to do: write a novel.

I started this book and made it through the first week before I was ready to delete the book out of frustration. It may not be the "right" way most people would undertake a novel, but if you want to prove to yourself that you can do it, this is the book to try. I haven't finished it yet, and I suspect it's going to turn into a nine month novel rather than a nine week novel, but the good, the bad and the ugly sure do show up when you're forced to put pen to paper. If nothing else this book will get my house cleaner than it's ever been. "I'll write after I clean out the pantry." "I'll write after I sort the linen closet." "I'll write after I wash all the dog's bedding." "I'll write after I wash all the baseboards with ammonia." You get the idea. And you're probably thinking, "Maybe you shouldn't be a writer." I know that's what I'm thinking.

Writing a novel is tough. You start with great enthusiasm. But that enthusiasm is fragile, and quickly wanes.

This book is for everyone who would love to write a novel, whether they've tried before and failed, or been too scared to write the first words.

Bill Dodds and Willie Sockspeare guide you through the process of writing a 25,000 word novel in nine weeks. That's around 90 pages, so a short novel. But as Dodds points out, once you've written a short novel, it's much easier to write a long one.

Starting out at writing 300 words a day, and increasing to 500 words a day, you're eased in gently to the writing process. If you can find 30 minutes a day to spare, six days a week, you can complete this nine week program

The daily words of encouragement often made me smile, and I found some great gems of advice. The humor can be a bit silly, but it's lots of fun. Here's one of my favorites:

"Today's point is this: There are a lot of people who will tell you 'You cannot write a novel until you...'. Baloney. At this point in our relationship, you may have deduced 'Any moron can write a book.' This moron says that's absolutely true. Not to imply one has to be a moron, but that hasn't stopped me. If anything, just the opposite. I was too stupid to realize I was too stupid to write a book. And so I did."

I love this gentle humor. This is the first book on writing I've read that's in the spirit of the humble, encouraging and funny books I've read on drawing by Danny Gregory, Dan Price and Michael Nobbs.

This book doesn't cover every aspect of novel writing. You'll need a story in mind that you want to tell. As long as you have a story to tell, Bill and Sockspeare will get your writing. I learn best by doing (and you probably do, too). So why not make it easy on yourself when you're starting out as a writer? Read and apply this book.

As Bill says, there are no secrets to writing. Writers write, and they get better at writing by writing more.

My one gripe with this book is that Little Willie Sockspeare didn't write his sections in iambic pentameter! Why not?!