Genre: Writing
Reference
Date of Publication:
April 30th, 2008
Memorable Quotation: “The test of a successful novel is whether the
reader takes it with her to the bathroom.” (pg. 91)
Lasting Impression: By breaking the fictional writing process down
step by step, Lenard-Cook provides an easy-to-follow and enjoyable guide as to
how to write a novel and make it successful!
Accessibility: A
Content: A+
Creativity: A
Layout: A-
Overall Grade: A
Everyone has his or her own story
to tell, but how to translate our experiences and memories into a successful
novel is not an easy task. To help with
this process, Lisa Lenard-Cook has written The
Mind of Your Story: Discover What Drives Your Fiction, an informative and
well-written guide to help a beginning novelist find their way into the writing
world or a published author find the missing key in their latest novel. Lenard-Cook starts with the basics of
formulating ideas to eventually showing the reader how to rewrite/revise their
finished pieces to become the masterpiece they knew was always inside them. Lenard-Cook
also uses many examples from popular authors such as Carol Shields and Alice
Munro to help explain her points of writing and at the end of each chapter, she
includes a writing exercise based on what was previously discussed to help
plant seeds of inspiration.
Jewell Parker Phodes says on the
back cover The Mind of Your Story is,
“required reading for all writers,” which I believe wholeheartedly after
reading this book, but I also consider this to be an important read for readers
as well. I feel I have gained so much as
a reader, writer, and book reviewer from the way Lenard-Cook explained why
certain things do not work in certain novels, such as the misuse of ‘big words’
when simpler words are more effective and how a lack of abstraction (flow of
dialogue) will destroy a reader's concentration.
What really separates this writing guide
from the rest is certainly the content and the way that it is explained but more
importantly, the voice that is telling it. Lenard-Cook has such a distinctive voice, and
her passion for writing helps this reference book not seem so much as a guide
but more like a story on how she found her way to discovering this tried and
true method of building a novel.
I had two small problems with
this book, however. (The first is not
necessarily a problem but more of a warning, per say) Although this book is
very detailed and Lenard-Cook does a wonderful job explaining the writing
process from a successful author’s point of view, it may seem intimidating to
the weak of heart; not realizing how much goes into a novel. Please do not feel overwhelmed! Upon first impression, I felt the same way
but if you give it a chance, it will serve to be an extremely useful tool for
all of your future writing. The second
problem is more of a minor complaint about the layout. I appreciate the abstract pictures having to
do with time she inserts into the guide because it helps break up all of the
black and white pages with some color but at times, the pictures seem to have
no correspondence to the content on the page, which led me to be confused as to
why they were there.
Excluding those two minor
complaints, this is a treasure I cannot thank my father enough for giving me a
few years ago. In beginning to write my
first novel, this writing reference has provided me with the courage and
insight to push forward and strive to succeed with my writing.
~Shelly-Beans
