Write Your First Novel by Gilbert Morris and Steve Laube

Writing Craft. 240 Pages. 5 Stars

Synopsis:

You Can Become a Successful Novelist
Foreword by Jerry B. Jenkins

This book will revolutionize the way you write and create stories! With step-by-step instructions from two publishing veterans, you’ll learn the essential elements of plot, character development, dialogue, and setting. This book will give you the confidence to create stories that captivate readers and the knowledge to take your writing to the next level. 

What’s Included in This  
– Strategies to write gripping stories that readers won’t be able to put down
– Techniques to make your characters come alive on the page
– Tips to realistically portray settings and dialogue
– Advice on how to develop your plot and keep readers hooked

“You need to read this book if you want to be a better writer.”
— Dallas Jenkins , creator of The Chosen

“Reading this book is like sitting at the feet of two stellar teachers as they unpack the secrets to fiction writing.”
— Steven James , Christy Award Hall of Fame author, and author of Story Trumps Structure

“Practical, instructive, thorough, and useful for the new writer, old writer, and aspiring writer alike.”
— Nadine Brandes , three-time Carol Award-winning YA author

“The lessons you learn in this book will serve you the rest of your writing life.”
— James Scott Bell , Christy Award-winning author, and author of Write Your Novel from the Middle

“An amazingly valuable resource. This will now become one of my go-to resources when training writers, too!”
— Tricia Goyer , USA Today best-selling author and mentor at WriteThatBook.Club

“Laube’s additions to Morris’s classic work are full of Christian wisdom and down-to-earth advice from someone who knows the industry inside and out.”
— Kyle Mann , best-selling novelist and Editor-in-Chief, The Babylon Bee

My Review:

I love good craft books! And I’m a firm believer that you can learn something from just about any book (whether or not it’s what the book intends for you to take away from it XD).

Some craft books are dense or dry or hard to read, even if they do have nuggets of wisdom. But this one is simply brimming with great tips, engaging examples, and challenging exercises. I’ve highlighted something on nearly every page XD

This is an easy read, well-organized, and thorough. Though the title says to write your first novel, I’d contest that the book is just as valuable for veteran authors with many books under their belt.

With a perfect balance of practical, applicational value and inspirational encouragement to bolster the weary writer, the book blends clear teaching with examples that actually relate to the material. I see so many craft books with examples that are nebulous or intangible that don’t really help the reader connect the dots. But this one uses examples that complement the material and enhance the point.

And the exercises in the book provide tangible practice exercises to get writers out of their heads. I love how they isolate each point and break down the different craft elements so that you can intentionally focus in on strengthening those areas while still allowing you to build upon previous sections and grow as a rounded writer.

This is one I’ll go back to again and again. Can’t more highly recommend it!