My review of First Draft in 30 Days, by Karen S. Wiesner
I realized I should probably post this here as well as at my other sites :-)

First Draft in 30 Days is a wonderful resource for writers! This book guides fiction writers through a method for building a detailed outline of a manuscript. Ms. Wiesner makes it clear in her introduction that the outline itself is NOT a first draft, but that if her method has been followed, the resulting first draft will be more polished than one written without it.

"Beginning with brainstorming, Ms Wiesner leads the novelist through the various components required to create a work of fiction--from characters and research to plot and setting, she covers it all. Detailed worksheets are provided to record the results of the brainstorming and questions posed throughout the chapters.

For those who have completed an ms., but are a little stuck, she includes a chapter adapting her method that will help jumpstart the ms. By analysing what you've done, what works and what doesn't, you can move forward.

"So far what has impressed me the most about the book is the emphasis by the author on the fact this is a method that can be adapted to an individual writer's needs. NOTHING is set in stone. She's giving you tools to work with, not a set of iron-clad rules on how to write a first draft. Its very flexibility is what makes it so appealing.

"I can see myself using it and making it work. Once I've had a chance to apply it to my upcoming new ms, I'll update my review. But overall, I'm EXTREMELY impressed. This book has inspired and energized me like no other how-to book for writers I've read before.

Reviewed April, 2005
© Teresa Eckford