The Nighttime Novelist
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So many people dream of writing a book, and most need to indulge their creativity during off hours. This instruction guide is intended to assist by providing short but thorough lessons in bite-size pieces.

The book is a lay-flat spiral-bound, rather like a cookbook, making it easy to work from a particular page. There are three categories: Techniques, Hurdles (things to avoid and ways to get past obstacles and stopping points), and Going Deeper, plus practical suggestions and exercises. The different areas are color-coded and marked for easy flip-through searching. (That also gives the book a modern, attractive design.) They’re grouped in the usual ways: plot, character, world-building, structure, suspense, pacing, and so on.

The book is an easy read — although you won’t want to read it through; instead, you should stop, reflect on the lessons, and try them out. It’s written in a conversational tone, and pages are punctuated with inspirational quotes from famous writers. If you’re looking for an encouraging gift for a creative friend, especially one who just needs the right hand-holding to get started, this might fit the bill.

You can see an excerpt at the book’s website, tumblemoose.com, or AuthorCulture. (The publisher provided a review copy.)