Fear of Writing Subtitle: For Writers and Closet Writers
By Milli Thornton
Word Nerd Press, 1999
Nonfiction/Writers/How-To
ISBN: 1591098181
Website: www.fearofwriting.com
Contact Reviewer: HoJoNews@aol.com
Rating 5 of 5
Inspiration in a How-To Book
Milli Thornton to a Writer’s Rescue
Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of This is the Place, Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered and The Frugal Book Promoter: How to do What Your Publisher Won’t
So, you’re a writer. Maybe you have trouble admitting it at a party. Or to yourself. Maybe you don’t feel like a writer because a bad case of “the block” has got you. Milli Thornton’s Fear of Writing to the rescue!
There simply is no way a writer can read this book without stumbling over a reflection of themselves somewhere in its pages. No way one could come away from it without improving her image of herself as a writer, without some new ideas to write about and without actually doing some writing.
If you are so blocked that you don’t believe this, Milli Thornton will take care of that. Her exuberance–her pure force of will–will see to it not only that you read Fear of Writing but that you also read it right. That is, you must pause to do the exercises which she calls (aptly) “fertile material.” And if you but think of sitting back on your laurels for having gone this far, her enthusiasm will propel you forward.
This book is not a big book in size. However, it will consume you and consume some time as well. The author advises that you read it during the daytime when you can write, not before bed when your natural tendency to snooze might interfere with your resolve. Be assured, though, nothing will interfere with Milli’s determination. She will make you into an active writer and probably a better writer. All you must do is give her a chance.
Readers will note that I gave this book a five star rating. I believe in rating a book on content. Rating one any other way is rather like judging a book by its cover or by the press on which it was printed. To be sure, this little book could use some sprucing up in its next edition. Please don’t wait to read it until then. Put aside a writer’s natural tendency to stall over formatting or other details and dig in. Milli Thornton’s book is not about the fine art of making a beautiful book, it’s about the special art of vibrant writing–something she knows much about.
Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the award-winning author of This is the Place and Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered. Her poems and short stories appear frequently in literary journals and anthologies. The Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won’t is a bestselling e-book at http://ebookad.com and a paperback that may be found at BarnesandNoble.com, Amazon.com and other online bookstores. Learn more at http://carolynhowardjohnson.com
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Author THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON’T is a best-selling e-book at http://ebookad.com/. Purchase the paperback at http://www.amazon.com/. Learn more at: http://carolynhowardjohnson.com/ . Read a recent review by Jenna Glatzer at: http://www.absolutewrite.com/novels/frugal_book.htm