Scan barcode
Reviews
The Novel Project: A Step-by-Step Guide to Your Novel, Memoir or Biography by Graeme Simsion
jendn's review
5.0
This is a pleasingly practical and accessible guide to writing a novel, from structure to character development. I particularly appreciated the author’s suggestion to write scenes, beats and dialogue on cards and piece them all together. Well worth a read.
paulinemareewilson's review
5.0
This book really helped me to define my planning process. I am hopeful that my next book will be better because of it.
textpublishing's review
The following book reviews have been shared by Text Publishing – publisher of The Novel Project:
'In this hands-on, practical guide to crafting a novel, Simsion takes the reader methodically through each stage of production from developing a concept and finding a structure to brainstorming the story and refining each draft.’
Age/SMH
‘[Simsion’s] tone is encouraging, and he shares fragments from early stages of his own development process, which demonstrate how much these ideas can grow and change over time for any writer…This book would best serve those who might already feel comfortable with the creative elements of writing—generating ideas, crafting sentences—but who are looking for direction on structure, or on time management when approaching a longer project. Possibly the neatest thing The Novel Project achieves, by the end, is making writing a novel seem—if not easy, or fast—achievable.’
Kill Your Darlings
‘If you’re one of the many people wondering if they have a novel in them, but feeling overwhelmed by the process, then Graeme Simsion has written the book for you. The author of the internationally bestselling Rosie trilogy will lead you step-by-step through it...[The Novel Project] is uplifting and encouraging.’
ArtsHub
‘Eminently absorbing, encouraging and inspiring for the novice…Simsion is sometimes disarmingly candid about discovering what worked and didn’t work for him…[He] says the writer must move from seeing creativity as unpredictable magic to seeing it as an aspect of thinking that can be managed, if not always summoned at will, and he has practical suggestions for summoning it.’
Jane Sullivan, Age
'Simsion takes pains to ensure that the reader is on the path to success, explaining the theory behind some of the more popular structures of writing...Overall, this is a helpful, clear and effective guide to the writing process.’
NZ Booklovers
'In this hands-on, practical guide to crafting a novel, Simsion takes the reader methodically through each stage of production from developing a concept and finding a structure to brainstorming the story and refining each draft.’
Age/SMH
‘[Simsion’s] tone is encouraging, and he shares fragments from early stages of his own development process, which demonstrate how much these ideas can grow and change over time for any writer…This book would best serve those who might already feel comfortable with the creative elements of writing—generating ideas, crafting sentences—but who are looking for direction on structure, or on time management when approaching a longer project. Possibly the neatest thing The Novel Project achieves, by the end, is making writing a novel seem—if not easy, or fast—achievable.’
Kill Your Darlings
‘If you’re one of the many people wondering if they have a novel in them, but feeling overwhelmed by the process, then Graeme Simsion has written the book for you. The author of the internationally bestselling Rosie trilogy will lead you step-by-step through it...[The Novel Project] is uplifting and encouraging.’
ArtsHub
‘Eminently absorbing, encouraging and inspiring for the novice…Simsion is sometimes disarmingly candid about discovering what worked and didn’t work for him…[He] says the writer must move from seeing creativity as unpredictable magic to seeing it as an aspect of thinking that can be managed, if not always summoned at will, and he has practical suggestions for summoning it.’
Jane Sullivan, Age
'Simsion takes pains to ensure that the reader is on the path to success, explaining the theory behind some of the more popular structures of writing...Overall, this is a helpful, clear and effective guide to the writing process.’
NZ Booklovers
kyyjonssoni's review
5.0
Down to earth book about novel writing. Collected many good tips to my own writing from this book and liked the way how author made book writing more like an process instead of just sit and write. Will come back to highlights and my notes about this book.
dellydoos's review
4.0
So I'm a creative writer and one day I (bloody hell) hope to publish a novel- if I can get my shit together. But after two attempts, and over seventy-thousand words for a first draft that failed to impress my inner critic, I'm about to begin from scratch. Looking for inspiration or perhaps just a sign from the heavens that I'm not going to fail again, I picked The Novel Project up at a local bookshop during my road trip through New Zealand.
Now, I've read only two other books on writing novels and getting them published, and I found them to be quite vague in what works and what doesn't. Chapters on the industry, on writing habits and overcoming perfectionism were perhaps reassuring, but not ultimately helpful. You see, I'm incredibly process-driven, and work well under being given set rules and procedures to get shit done. And this is exactly what Graeme Simsion offered me.
This book is a fantastic guide to getting started on a new novel, memoir or whatever you want to write about. It's straightforward, it's plain and it really just worked for me. Taking the lens of viewing your writing as a project shifted the way I thought about my story. It told me that planning (not pantsing) is key, that structure is integral and that your characters and their decisions are the heart of your story. I really liked his chapter on brainstorming especially, as again, it was direct, it gave me tangible solutions other than: do some painting, and read books and you'll be inspired!
If you're someone that doesn't care much for structure, that flies by the seat of their pants and wants a book that focuses more so on creating perfect prose, this probably won't be for you. Simsion mainly focuses on the initial set-up of understanding the structure of your book, and how you're going to successfully finish it from a project-managing standpoint. I felt it did lack a little in the later chapters of what happens after you've finished your first draft, and on the actual craft on writing. But ultimately, I don't think that's what I was looking for in this book. So in conclusion, I'm so happy I picked this up, and I'll be referring to it aplenty I'm sure as I work through my novel and novels to come! 4/5 stars
Now, I've read only two other books on writing novels and getting them published, and I found them to be quite vague in what works and what doesn't. Chapters on the industry, on writing habits and overcoming perfectionism were perhaps reassuring, but not ultimately helpful. You see, I'm incredibly process-driven, and work well under being given set rules and procedures to get shit done. And this is exactly what Graeme Simsion offered me.
This book is a fantastic guide to getting started on a new novel, memoir or whatever you want to write about. It's straightforward, it's plain and it really just worked for me. Taking the lens of viewing your writing as a project shifted the way I thought about my story. It told me that planning (not pantsing) is key, that structure is integral and that your characters and their decisions are the heart of your story. I really liked his chapter on brainstorming especially, as again, it was direct, it gave me tangible solutions other than: do some painting, and read books and you'll be inspired!
If you're someone that doesn't care much for structure, that flies by the seat of their pants and wants a book that focuses more so on creating perfect prose, this probably won't be for you. Simsion mainly focuses on the initial set-up of understanding the structure of your book, and how you're going to successfully finish it from a project-managing standpoint. I felt it did lack a little in the later chapters of what happens after you've finished your first draft, and on the actual craft on writing. But ultimately, I don't think that's what I was looking for in this book. So in conclusion, I'm so happy I picked this up, and I'll be referring to it aplenty I'm sure as I work through my novel and novels to come! 4/5 stars
jessiejessj's review
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
As a self professed pantser, ‘process’ when it comes to writing is not a natural approach for me. However, as a self professed list person, process in most other areas of my life is. Reading this book was a surprising collision of these two facets of my personality, along with my innate desire to become a writer. Often I’ve thought of process when it comes to writing as an inhibitor of creativity, but reading this book made me reevaluate how and what I consider to be ‘creativity’ and what I ultimately want to accomplish (spoiler: getting a book published). The notion of writing plot points down on cards and organizing them gave me pause, as did a diary to track the good and the bad of the writing process, not because they were bad, but because they were easy to adopt and something I felt I could achieve. If you’ve ever considered writing a novel, or even just writing in general, I would highly recommend reading this book. Relatable, helpful, and thought provoking, this book came into my life exactly when I needed it most. Thank you, Graeme, for being willing to share your process with the world. I’m confident it will help many writers accomplish their dreams.
More...