Book Review: Wannabe a Writer – Jane Wenham Jones

There are so many ‘how to be a writer’ books out there it can be difficult to know which one to purchase. With the rise of the knowledge economy there are more of us thinking about whether they have a book inside them or not so the question is a valid one. Wannabe a Writer? from Jane Wenham-Jones taps into this popular market with a fun and accessible way of inciting the inner writer out into the open.

The book has more than the usual chapters on preparation, plotting and perseverance. There are also sections on alternative outlets for prospective writers, links to background information and my favourite, a chapter called ‘Occupational Hazards’. Any writing book that talks about the threat of something called Writer’s Bottom and it’s cousin Writer’s Stomach has to have something special to offer. Other less visual problems identified are being grumpy or away with the fairies. But this chapter is in the same vein as the rest of the book.

The book itself is written in a very upbeat way, similar to the tone of a comic novel. However, in terms of content most things are covered. In fact the tone helps the reader keep motivated and with a little wry comment here and there makes the whole experience of reading it a treat. I believe that the people who will gain most from this type of book are those who need to be eased into the writing lifestyle rather than those who can cope with the more austere types of writing handbook.

I for one found the whole experience of reading this book enjoyable and can think of no better introduction to the world of writing. With this book there is the potential to go far, whilst managing to retain your sense of humour.

Wannabe a Writer?is currently just £6.47 on Amazon.

Mark 4.5/5

Reviewer: Will Roney

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 21st, 2009 at 9:28 am and is filed under book reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.