{"product_id":"how-not-to-write-a-novel-200-classic-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them-a-misstep-by-misstep-guide-9780061357954","title":"How Not to Write a Novel: 200 Classic Mistakes and How to Avoid Them--A Misstep-By-Misstep Guide","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"What do you think of my fiction book writing?\" the aspiring novelist extorted. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Darn,\" the editor hectored, in turn. \"I can not publish your novel! It is full of what we in the business call 'really awful writing.'\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"But how shall I absolve this dilemma? I have already read every tome available on how to write well and get published!\" The writer tossed his head about, wildly.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"It might help,\" opined the blonde editor, helpfully, \"to ponder how NOT to write a novel, so you might avoid the very thing!\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMany writing books offer sound advice on how to write well. This is not one of those books. On the contrary, this is a collection of terrible, awkward, and laughably unreadable excerpts that will teach you what to avoid--at all costs--if you ever want your novel published. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eHow Not to Write a Novel\u003c\/em\u003e, authors Howard Mittelmark and Sandra Newman distill their 30 years combined experience in teaching, editing, writing, and reviewing fiction to bring you real advice from the other side of the query letter. Rather than telling you how or what to write, they identify the 200 most common mistakes unconsciously made by writers and teach you to recognize, avoid, and amend them. With hilarious \"mis-examples\" to demonstrate each manuscript-mangling error, they'll help you troubleshoot your beginnings and endings, bad guys, love interests, style, jokes, perspective, voice, and more. As funny as it is useful, this essential how-NOT-to guide will help you get your manuscript out of the slush pile and into the bookstore.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNewman, Sandra:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cp\u003eSandra Newman is the author of The Only Good Thing Anyone Has Ever Done, which was short-listed for the Guardian First Book Award. She is also the author of the novel Cake; the memoir, Changeling; How Not to Write a Novel, an irreverent how-to guide with Howard Mittelmark; and The Western Lit Survival Kit. She lives in New York.\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMittelmark, Howard:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWriter and editor Howard Mittelmark's book reviews and essays have appeared in the \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eWashington Post\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003ePhiladelphia Inquirer\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eHollywood Reporter\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eWriter's Digest\u003c\/em\u003e, and other publications. He is the author of the novel \u003cem\u003eAge of Consent\u003c\/em\u003e. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNewman, Sandra:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cp\u003eSandra Newman is the author of \u003cem\u003eThe Only Good Thing Anyone Has Ever Done, \u003c\/em\u003e which was short-listed for the \u003cem\u003eGuardian\u003c\/em\u003e First Book Award. She is also the author of the novel \u003cem\u003eCake;\u003c\/em\u003e the memoir, \u003cem\u003eChangeling;\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eHow Not to Write a Novel, \u003c\/em\u003e an irreverent how-to guide with Howard Mittelmark; and \u003cem\u003eThe Western Lit Survival Kit.\u003c\/em\u003e She lives in New York.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"William Morrow \u0026 Company","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50662091522322,"sku":"9780061357954","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_b09a9f54-9c2b-406f-ad53-47f231bf75bd.jpg?v=1733512074","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/how-not-to-write-a-novel-200-classic-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them-a-misstep-by-misstep-guide-9780061357954","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}