Author: Danielle Ackley-McPhail

ISBN: 978-1-937051-00-6

Publisher: Dark Quest, LLC

Click Here To Purchase The Literary Handyman: Tips on Writing From Someone's Who's Been There

I must admit that initially I was put off with the small print of Danielle Ackley-McPhail's The Literary Handyman: Tips On Writing From Someone Who's Been There, nonetheless, I stuck with it, put on my reading glasses, and ultimately I was not disappointed with the abundance of useful tips that the author shares with her readers.

The book basically comprises a series of short essays on writing that addresses such topics as finding inspiration, how a story should be told, the kind of characters needed to populate a particular world, establishing reality in your fantasy, elements of conversation, literary detailing, marketing your book and what happens if you should strike it rich and your book is accepted.

For example, if you are interested in how to go about giving names to your character, Danielle devotes an entire essay that appropriately begins with the sentence: “Have you realized how much a name can say about someone?” As we read this essay, we notice that choosing a name is not a helter skelter process, but rather one that the writer must give a great deal of thought. We learn do's and don'ts such as don't get cute, don't be difficult, don't echo, don't mirror life, and then we have the do's as do confirm, be consistent, be appropriate. The remaining part of the essay explores the how-to's as defining characteristics, historic and cultural relevance and this ends with several questions to consider in relation to the character and setting.

In another essay, Danielle tackles the trap authors fall into when they don't know when to stop and pile up detail after detail that only clutters up the story, kills the action and eventually will have readers chuck the book aside mumbling to himself or herself, enough is enough of this crap. To avoid falling into this hole, Danielle examines plot-oriented scenes, character-oriented scenes, and action-oriented scenes. Once you understand these scenes, she provides some questions to help the writer keep focused as he or she tackles each one as is the scene a destination or a transition, is it taking too long to get where your are going, and is the detail relevant. Summing up, Danielle states that details are what defines your story: “they are the building blocks of your universe, the soul of your characters.”

If you are looking for a book on the craft of writing presented in small bites, easily digestible, and covering a great deal of ground, then The Literary Handyman is just what the doctor ordered. Although this book may not be as comprehensive as some others dealing with the same subject matter, it nevertheless effectively taps into many of the basic ingredients that go into the complex craft of writing, as it explores these elements in a witty, intelligent and thought-provoking manner.

Danielle Ackley-McPhail is an award-winning author and has worked both sides of the publishing industry for over fifteen years. She is the author of the Eternal Cycle series, which currently includes Yesterday's Dreams and Tomorrow's Memories. The third book, Today's Promise, is forthcoming. She is also the senior editor of the award-winning Bad-Ass Faeries anthology series, all currently published by Mundania Press.


Click Here To Purchase The Literary Handyman: Tips on Writing From Someone's Who's Been There