A good book for beginners who are preparing to dive into writing, and decently written. I would have rated higher but there was too much repetition for me. ( )

A good treatment of the writing process: the organizing and mechanical setting up to write, the process of how to actually write a book or screenplay, and also advice on marketing, promoting and other aspects of writer's career. A particularly strong bibliography of works about writing are included in the back, alsong with a strong set of quotes about writing from famous writers through the ages. Atchity's metaphor of the writing mind as "Continents" "Islands" and "Managing Editor" was too convoluted and a bit off-putting for me, but could be a useful framework for someone else. ( )

The premise of Atchity's L/A House method is that discipline leads to productivity and that discipline is a matter of mastering time and the necessary writing skills. Conventional wisdom suggests writing every day, but here we have a case for writing being transcribing what has already been formed in the mind. Atchity propounds a left brain/right brain view of the mind, while applying a nomenclature of "islands" and "continents" that gets in the way sometimes. Index cards and periodic vacations are among his suggestions for organizing materials and using time. Suggestions for equipping the writer's office, as well as marketing and contracting, are included. Library Journal ( )