See Jane Write: A Girl's Guide to Writing Chick Lit

by Sarah Mlynowski, Farrin Jacobs

Overview

A fun and practical guide on how to write the next chick lit bestseller—with expert writing advice from Meg Cabot, Emily Giffin, and Sophie Kinsella
 
With chick lit novels popping up on every bestseller list, millions of readers are all thinking the same thing: I could write this stuff. I could write a bestseller and never go back to the office again!
 
And here’s the guide that will show you how. Bestselling novelist Sarah Mlynowski and veteran chick lit editor Farrin Jacobs cover every stage of developing and selling your soon-to-be bestselling novel, with information on
 
     •  developing an idea     
     •  learning the basics of plotting
     •  deciding on a point of view     
     •  pacing, and conflict
     •  making your characters likable    
     •  finding an agent
 
—and much more, including humorous tips and advice from scores of established writers (from Meg Cabot and Marian Keyes to Emily Giffin and Sophie Kinsella). If you’ve got stories to tell, See Jane Write will take care of the rest.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781594748554
Publisher:	Quirk Publishing
Publication date:	06/30/2015
Sold by:	Penguin Random House Publisher Services
Format:	eBook
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	842,165
File size:	17 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Sarah Mlynowski started her publishing career at Harlequin Enterprises and used her experiences to fuel her first chick lit novel, Milkrun, which has sold more than 600,000 copies worldwide. She is the author of Fishbowl, As Seen on TV, Monkey Business, Me vs. Me, Bras & Broomsticks, and Frogs & French Kisses, and coeditor of the bestselling chick lit anthologies Girls’ Night In and Girls’ Night Out. She lives in New York City. Farrin Jacobs is a former chick lit editor for Red Dress Ink and current freelance editor and writer. Her articles have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, the New York Times City section, Blender, Time Out New York, Men’s Journal, and Teen People. She lives in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

These two writing manuals differ more in design and delivery than they do in content. Both guide potential chick-lit authors through the steps of writing a novel and then finding an agent and publisher. In keeping with the chick-lit attitude, all three authors do their best to keep advice on characterization, pacing, and revision light and unintimidating. Mlynowski (Milkrun) and Jacobs (former chick-lit editor, Red Dress Ink) use their distinct perspectives to their advantage, sustaining a chatty tone and periodically inserting personal anecdotes and quirky sidebars. Yardley's (Surf Girl School) take is also conversational, but it offers more detail about the history of chick lit, its characteristics, and subgenres. Both books include useful appendixes: Mlynowski and Jacobs list other recommended writing guides and successful chick-lit authors, while Yardley covers agents, publishers, and chick-lit web sites. While fans of chick lit will likely appreciate the customized manuals, the core information presented can be found in many other fiction writing guides. Libraries with large writing collections would benefit from adding at least one of these books to their collection. Of the two, Mlynowski and Jacobs's is the stronger owing to the depth of their combined professional perspective. Teen fans of the chick-lit style may also benefit.-Stacey Rae Brownlie, Lititz P.L., PA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

Gr 8 Up-Fun, inspiring, and organized in a clear and encouraging style, this book covers topics from what chick lit is to how to create believable characters, develop a plot, and set a tone. The authors discuss seeing a project through to the finish and getting it published. The writing style is quirky and the advice is sound. The main theme is that writing is difficult, but rewarding, and that one can always improve. Cartoons in shades of pink and green enhance the text, done in the same colors. Sidebars offer practical advice and quotes from published writers. The information is transferable to nearly any type of writing, making the book useful and enjoyable to a wider audience than the title suggests.-Marcie Mann, Lafayette Jr. Sr. High School, NY Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal