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richardleis's review against another edition
3.0
Writing the Paranormal Novel by Steven Harper covers beginning writing with a focus on paranormal genres. There are sections I particularly enjoyed and found helpful, including advice about how to conduct research, interview experts, etc (Chapters 4 and 10). There are sections that served as good review about elements of craft (the chapters in Part III) and getting published (Part IV.) It's always nice to be reminded that "writers write" and Harper provides lots of this kind of inspiration, with a healthy dash of humor. He uses several good examples from the works of other writers of the paranormal.
I think the book was a little long for this basic material, and at times repetitive. It also relies on platitudes and generalizations, a style that put me off a little. There isn't a lot of depth, but for beginners and those in need of a review, I think this book may be handy, and it will suggest to you topics you'll want to explore further elsewhere.
I think the book was a little long for this basic material, and at times repetitive. It also relies on platitudes and generalizations, a style that put me off a little. There isn't a lot of depth, but for beginners and those in need of a review, I think this book may be handy, and it will suggest to you topics you'll want to explore further elsewhere.
lkmreads's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting book.
Had plenty of common sense advice, though, so I suppose it'd be good for newbies to writing and to the genre.
Liked the checklists, the exercises were interesting.
Just about the only thing I didn't agree with was the using social networks advice and the part that said that using the internet "couldn't hurt" (uh, yes it can: become one of those writers who lash out at negative criticism on your book and it'll hurt you. :P)
Also liked when it went on the part of research and interviewing people, because most books I've read so far didn't touch the interviewing part so much, while this one did.
Had plenty of common sense advice, though, so I suppose it'd be good for newbies to writing and to the genre.
Liked the checklists, the exercises were interesting.
Just about the only thing I didn't agree with was the using social networks advice and the part that said that using the internet "couldn't hurt" (uh, yes it can: become one of those writers who lash out at negative criticism on your book and it'll hurt you. :P)
Also liked when it went on the part of research and interviewing people, because most books I've read so far didn't touch the interviewing part so much, while this one did.
jlennidorner's review against another edition
4.0
Good book. Lots of cool tips and tricks. Glad I read this one.
roseplantqueen's review against another edition
2.0
For someone who insists on doing copious amounts of research on supernatural creatures, this guy doesn't know his vampire folklore well. The sunlight weakness he mentions in the book comes from Nosferatu, in one of that movie's desperate attempts to avoid getting sued by Bram Stoker's widow (it didn't work). It's not in European vampire folklore at all. As mentioned in other reviews here, it seems this guy was attempting to bash Twilight for its sparkly vampires without fact-checking his own facts.
Otherwise this is a basic how-to book. Nothing groundbreaking here.
Otherwise this is a basic how-to book. Nothing groundbreaking here.
claredragonfly's review
3.0
This book really seemed more intended for people who don't read or haven't read much fantasy (or paranormal, as he insists on calling it). Of course, if you haven't read much fantasy, you're going to run into a bunch of unmarked spoilers in the examples. (Significant spoilers are usually marked.) A lot of the advice was just obvious to me. The exercises are pretty hit and miss, and there's publishing advice at the end, some of which seems good, some of which seems bad, some of which is just out of date.
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