5 comments about Writing the Breakout Novel.

1. this is hands down the best 'how to' book for writers and aspiring writers that I've read. It has valuable hints and tips on every page. This man knows the writing craft! Buy it - your writing will get better.



2. The book was very helpful, answer many of my questions and if you follow his suggestion I beleive, I think it will improve your writing and (hopefully) your chances of being published. Now for the "but." There are lots of good and even great writers not getting a chance. There are too many agents and publishers that are looking for "types or formats" not great stories or books. As a reader and hopefully a writer, I am looking for something a little different...The book is well worth a read and it will help the writer understand the process of the New York agents.



3. I'm now reading through Donal Maass's Writing the Breakout Novel for the 2nd or 3rd time, and each time it's very helpful in writing my own fiction. His insights and analyses of what makes a book 'break out' into bestsellerdom or into critical acclaim make one stop to look more critically at one's own writing.
   Really, really helpful. Very practical advice.



4. My rating of course is a dead giveaway that I liked this book, immensely. It deserves high praise indeed for Maass's in depth, yet succinct and clear writing style. His many years of writing experience shine through. And as president of his own Literary Agency, he knows what the industry looks for and he knows how to showcase the important, and indispensable devices you need to master--if you really want to get published. All the chapters conveniently end with a Breakout Checklist, which is a nice way to summarize what you've just read. (Similar to a workbook, which he also offers and is worth getting, especially if you're working on a first draft.) Packed with all the stuff you really need to know; this book, like a great novel, is hard to put down. Believe me, you're going to learn something. If you've read dozens of books on writing, it might be something you've already heard before, or maybe not, but Maass expresses it in a very digestible form. And that makes a big difference. (Comes in handy when you don't get much sleep.)
   
   All right, so here's the big question on everyone's mind. Would buying this book help me write a breakout novel of my own? Answer: YES, it will help you write a much better novel. And quite possibly your breakout novel at that. That's up to you. No particular book is going to hand you the magical keys to literary fame and fortune. But, let me say that of all the books I've read on writing novels, this has been the best.
   
   Now for my only pet peeve. (For your benefit Mr. Maass) What's with the Brand-X cover? As a graphic designer, I understand about white space and simplicity, but honestly, when I first came across this cover I wanted to pass on this book. It's not a bad design; I just think its contents deserve a different representation. Like the cover on your workbook; very nice. (We should be grateful for chapter previews.) Maybe it's just me; who knows if everyone judges a book by its cover. Cheap-looking cover--questionable contents. That's my take. Thankfully, with this book, its contents are the antithesis of its (hideous) cover.
   
   And so, thank you Donald Maass for your insight and expertise. It is well received, and I'm applying what I've learned to my first novel, "A Death for Beauty", which I'm happy to say, is not so far off the mark. I'll query you after one more polish. Hopefully, you'll let me down gently, with even more good advice. Then again, I might soon be on your roster of best-selling authors. Who knows. Ahh, dreaming is such a blessed thing. I think I need a nap.



5. Maass maintains that good storytelling (plot) is more important than good writing (dialogue, characterization, turns of phrase, etc.). With the examples that he holds up--Grisham, Crichton--it's hard not to disagree with him. Why do so many midlist and literary writers fail to "break out"? Low-stakes plots. True, not every reader wants to read about the world in peril...but many readers do, and upping the ante is one of Maass's techniques to be commercially successful. He also provides excellent advice for handling agents, editors, advances, promotion, etc. that will be sobering for many beginning authors.
   
   Maass loses credibility when he moves away from tried-and-true book analysis into more esoteric (and religious) areas. Take, for example, the subsection titled "God at Work in the World": "God works in little ways as well as big ones...Have you ever felt that something that happened to you was fated?" The most egregious religious reference, however, is his citation of Tim F. LaHaye's "Left Behind" series as a breakout work due to its authors' special ability to "make the apocalypse feel real." Huh?
   
   As an author, Maass has written either 14 novels (according to the text) or 17 novels (according to the book jacket) under pseudonyms. Since none of them are mentioned by name, I'm going to assume that he's still struggling as a midlist author. Why he doesn't use his own techniques to write his own "breakout" novel? That's a good question, and one that goes unanswered.

1 comments about Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft, and Design.

1. I just received my book a few days ago and have already torn through it. It has a great balance of informative backgrounds about the artists involved with the companion documentary, soon to be released, and amazing visuals of the artists' work. I also really enjoyed the essays added throughout. I was especially excited to see one by Betsy Greer. I feel I have some knowledge about the artists' work that I would not have had if the book was not released. It also gives some insight on how the "New Wave of Craft" snowballed into what it is today. The timeline at the beginning of the book is also very illuminating.

5 comments about Keys to Drawing with Imagination: Strategies and Exercises for Gaining Confidence and Enhancing Your Creativity.

1. If you want to improve technique or just learn how to draw get this book.



2. I have tons of drawing books, but I love this one! It has tons of great "mini-project" ideas that encourage creativity and originality!



3. While I am not a beginner, I thought this book might offer creative drawing exercises and ideas, something to feed my imagination. I was right. The chapters are brief and to the point with exercises that stretch beyond the usual. The illustrations of finished work as well as those of the actual exercise steps are excellent. A worthwhile book, not just a showcase of an artist's work... but not one for a beginner. Some of the chapters show nearly finished drawings as illustrations of the concept presented; there's no useful step-by-step instruction. But overall, most of the chapters are very good. Not a must-have, but still worth the money.



4. This is a great how-to-draw book, because it has a very smart strategy: finesse the negative self-criticism that keeps most of us from even beginning to do anything smacking of `art.'
   
   When a six year old once asked her father, a college art instructor, what he did for a living, he said, "I teach people how to draw." Incredulous, she replied: "You mean they forget!?"
   
   We all know why that is-- a censorious voice inside our heads keeps up a murderous barrage of intimidation: "You suck! You can't draw!" And we knuckle under.
   
   Most books on how to draw just reinforce this anxiety. They aim to teach you how to draw realistically, which for most of us means there is just one way to get it right, and a thousand to screw it up. How to solve this problem? Cookie-cutter schematic diagrams are given for drawing everything from portraits to horses, but every time you draw one of those almond shapes for a head, then put in a cross on which to put facial features, you've become a robot and art, an assembly-line production. That's a far cry from the utter fearlessness we all had when armed only with crayons.
   
   This book blows by all this tomfoolery because it cares little for cheap realism but much for real creativity. By not focusing on the "what" but the "how" this book lets you not only think like an artist, but become one. In its pages learning is doing as rules are jettisoned in favor of principles, suggestions and exercises that gently immerse you in the experience of drawing, so that before you know it, you're scribbling away as intently as any six-year old... or Van Gogh. Getting the terminally self-conscious to believe in themselves as artists is no mean achievement--it's damn hard to do as a matter of fact--but Bert Dodson does this beautifully. (Even more experienced artists will learn much from perusing this wise and thoughtful book.)
   
   But don't misunderstand one thing. Dodson's emphasis on creativity isn't an injunction to just "do what you feel." Drawing books like that leave you hanging in the air with no chance for traction and forward-momentum. This book is not one of those. The format in Keys to Drawing with Imagination not only generates much artistic material to work with, but will channel your growing understanding, concentrating it, so that a genuine mastery emerges, confident enough to undertake its own experimentation and exploration. This book is designed to be like the Buddha's raft--once it carries you over the river, you leave it behind to go on your way. For, ultimately, making art is about being free.
   
   I have only one small cavil to make about this superb drawing book. The title bites. With a subject as exciting as creative drawing, this title is like giving Marilyn Monroe a name like Norma Jean. It obviously hopes to cash in on the success of Mr. Dodson's earlier book, Keys to Drawing; I sense the money-grubbing hands of the publisher's bean-counters. My condolences to the author, a most witty and engaging man, who must be suffering grievously.



5. Thank you, Bert Dodson, for Drawing With Imagination. It is a much needed elixir for both my creative and professional life. I've been an Art teacher for thirty years and I know from experience that you can teach almost anyone how to draw and paint well. Learning to use the tools is the easy part. What's hard is stimulating the imagination and the confidence to be creative.
   Dodson's new book is a brimming reservoir of inspirational projects and ideas for the artist or teacher. Some of these exercises are so freeing, blocks to creativity seem to melt away leaving a fresh landscape of fertile ground. Using Bert's book as a basis for lessons my high school beginning students are stumbling onto originality and my advanced "Portfolio" students are discovering new directions for their work.
   Every teacher and artist needs a copy of this book at their fingertips if only for an infusion of energy for your classroom and studio. I didn't realize till I got my copy, I've been waiting for this book for a long time.

4 comments about Drawing for Designers.

1. This book shows ways things are drawn, sculpted, and rendered. It even shows a little about how some things are made. I recommend this book if you want to do in the Industrial Design area.



2. Got this as a text book for one of my daughter's Visual Communications classes, sophomore year in college. She really enjoys it and says that it is one that she will not sell back because it has many things that she will be able to refer back to. A good one for her professional library.



3. A good book of value to budding designers as well as those more advanced. a great reference, well worth a look. tom p.



4. The reason for the 4 stars instead of the 5, is because it's a nice overview book on the process designers go through when creating new designs, but it doesn't really go in depth in terms of sketching techniques or the "how to", in the way I expected it when looking at the title: "Drawing for Designers".
   
   I think this book is great for people new to the design process, first year students for example or people looking to make a career change and want to know more about industrial design, but people with more experience will be left wanting to see more.

5 comments about DragonArt.

1. Jessica's book is the only other dragon drawing book I would recommend other than my own:
   
   Drawing Dragons: Learn How to Create Fantastic Fire-Breathing Dragons
   
   Although I do find her artwork very cartoony, some of it is undeniably striking and she obviously is a very talented artist. The instructions are easy to follow and she has a fun and homourous tone to the way she writes. I have purchased pretty much every dragon drawing book out there to see how it compares to mine and this is the only purchase I am actually happy with.
   
   If you like this book, you should definitely check out her newest one on Fantasy Characters as well.



2. I was extrememly pleased with this book. I love to draw, but i'm not that great. It does an excellent job explaining things to you and helping you understand why to draw things the way they show you. I think I was pretty successful at drawing some of the images in the book. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to learn how to draw such amazing creatures.



3. Ok, so i got this from barnes and nobles a few months a ago and so far it has been really great to use. It offers great tips for beginners and its layed out in an easy to understand kind of format which i really enjoyed. though i really like the colors and pictures in the book, the step by step how to's weren't all that great as they are really detailed and might not be great for someone who is new to drawing really intricate and detailed pictures. but all in all its a great book and well worth the 20$ i paid for it and it would make a great gift for someone really into dragons,mythical creatures, and drawing! :)



4. Was swayed to buy this book by the reviews... Amazon offers several! Well done ~ does a fairly good job of explaining the basics, and the step-by-step was helpful to me. Not geared for the very young, though... would suggest from the 10-12yr. range & up.



5. I got this for my nephew 2006. He likes it and has been drawing pictures of Dragons. He is thirteen.

No comments about Gothic: Dark Glamour.

5 comments about Theories of Modern Art A Source Book by Artists and Critics (California Studies in the History of Art).

1. The beauty of this book is that so many letters, reviews, interviews etc. about/by so many artists are conveniently gathered in one place. On the whole, there isn't anything in here that you can't find elsewhere, such as in biographies of the individual artists. For example the letters contained in the opening section on "Post-Impressionism" from both Cezanne and Van Gogh are included in just about every biography on them.
   
   The over-riding reason for buying this book is that so many are collected together. So, even for an artist that you might not like enough to go out and buy their biography, atleast you get an insight in to their thoughts/motives etc. In some cases this may spark your interest in a previously less favoured artist and appreciate their works from a new perspective.
   
   Chipp covers all the main "isms" of modern art from Post-Impressionism (Cezanne) onwards. Each movement opens with a treatise detailing the main theories/artists/concepts/techniques that made it unique. This is followed by a comprehensive selection of articles/letters/interviews etc. concerning the main players i.e. the section of Expressionism includes writings from Nolde, Kandinsky, Kokoschka, Kirchner, Marc, Klee and Beckmann. One of my favourite pieces is by Stuart Davis. He's responding to a critic's recent review..."in your review you speak of your enthusiasm for my work and call me a "swell American painter". This attitude on your part I heartily approve, but you further state that my style is French and that if Picasso had never lived I would have had to think out a style of my own. Now is that nice Mr. McBride?" and off Davis goes in his defence. Superb.
   
   Rather than reading about these various "isms" via the well meaning but often biased views of a expert art historian, here you get the views from the artists themselves.
   
   For any art historians dealing with the modern art period this book has to be essential. And for general appreciators of art, as well as artists themselves, this book contains a wealth of information, and pays dividends to both intense study or just random browsing.
   
   Since it's first publication in 1968 this book has formed the foundation of any respectable art library. I just checked the bibliography of more recent books on art history - this book is referenced extensively. In my opinion, if anyone is looking for an interesting and enjoyable introduction to the world of "Modern Art" they could do a lot worse than start here. And given the way that any one "ism" owes it's existence to the "isms" that came before it*, this almost reads like a novel.
   
   *Regardless of Dali's utterances about Surrealism being a unique movement, unfounded by anything that came before, just go and have a look at the works of Hieronymous Bosch to see that wasn't the case.
   
   Recommended!



2. I just wanted to respond to the person before me. It sounds like contemporary art is way over your head. Please do not waist our time with long reviews about things you clearly do not understand.



3. Not only educational, but inspiring. I not only learned about each artist and what when on during their time of certain artworks, but I was able to get inside their head. The words of the artist's in their letters were captivating. I was caught up in the reading. I especially enjoyed Matisse and Kandinsky. Kandinsky is very spiritual about his writing and gives a deep explanation of colors. Anyway, it is a great read. It was required for my history course, but I enjoyed it. Not very many in my class could understand what they were reading. I guess you not only need intellect, but sophistication. I liked it!



4. How often had I looked at a painting of Van Gough and wondered what exactly was this great man thinking when he conceived and painted such a picture. Now by reading thru this excellent book, I can claw into the mind of artists themselves.



5. Even if you are not interested in the arts but simply in thought process- I think you will find this book very interesting. You could say this is the history of modern art without pictures (although there are some pictures)- bringing the reader facinating insights into how different types of artists came to their philosophies of art, and of course, the world. Documented through personal letters, manifestos, and articles, the varity of different thoughts and beliefs catapolts just what art can be. To me it shows that art is a never ending universe of ideas- all connecting but all very individual just the same.

5 comments about 500 Tiles: An Inspiring Collection of International Work (500 Series).

1. Great book - great price. Gave me lots of ideas for my own projects. I was able to create original works using similar ideas to those others had made.



2. EXCELLENT review of many techniques, styles and approaches to clay tiles. Well presented with very good reproduction. A great addition to any potter or artists library. Expanded technical data would make this edition even better, but I still rate it a "9"...



3. This book is a bounty of styles and artistic ideas for what tiles could and may become, with an open mind and some creative techniques. As a beginning ceramicist, this is exactly the sort of thing I was looking for; as I wanted to break out of the traditional 4x4 square and make something wholly unconventional. I wasn't sure if my ideas would work, but after seeing what others have done I am inspired to make my dreams a reality. Thanks to books like these, I can let my imagination run wild and my only limit will be time and creativity.



4. Among the very best of the Lark Books "500" series. Brilliant color and design, not limited to traditional tiles and encouraging to the artist craftsman.



5. I must agree with the previous reviewers, the work in this volume certainly merits "Inspiring" being in the title.
   
   As the juror states in the book's introduction, so much of the fun of this book is seeing the widely varied approaches the artists have taken with this format: figurative, abstract, painterly, sculptural, small-scale, architectural.
   
   Full disclosure: my work is also included (p 409), and I am honored to have been selected and published next to so many visionary artists.
   
   What a pleasure it has been to explore the works contained here, some by artists I know personally, or by reputation, and still others I am encountering for the first time. Highly recommended!

5 comments about The Story of Art: Pocket Edition.

1. This is a beautiful book with comprehensive text. It is written in common English that anyone should understand. I already have a copy I received as a gift and bought this copy for my grandaughter who will enter college this year to study Art History.



2. That may sound a bit strange, but this is a great book to take on the plane or train with you -- or even to the beach.
   
   It is a compact volume (though about 1 1/2 inches thick). Because of this compact format the text is in front (thin paper) with the plates in back. Phaidon provides two ribbon bookmarks. That also means that it is easiest to read using both hands.
   
   That said, Gombrich leads the reader along with a style somewhere between a conversation and a lecture -- more like what you might expect from a learned uncle or family friend. Pleasant delivery, but leaving you no doubts about the value of the information that is to be passed along.
   
   There may even be an advantage to having the plates in the back. I found myself dwelling on them perhaps a little longer than if they had been in with the text -- and the text calling for my attention.
   
   You can read this book in long sessions, or in little bits. It doesn't matter, because the information is always there, and in the case of this book, the journey itself is important.
   
   Enjoy.



3. An excellent book in an easy to read formatt. My professor used it for my art history class. Beautirul illistrations. Highly recommended. Great reference book as well.



4. For somebody interested in art, a book with many pictures is easy to read and enjoy.



5. The convenience of the pocket edition is incredible and the quality of the images and analysis is excellent.

5 comments about Abstract Painting: Concepts and Techniques.

1. I only wish I had seen this book before I started painting. It would have saved me time and money. Lots of great creative ideas and techniques. I recommend this book to beginners, like me.



2. This is a great book! It goes into the philosophy of abstract painting, methods, materials, composition, etc. The book also emphasizes each artist's creativity. The artist's interpretation and creativity is what art is all about, and even more so with abstract art, as abstract artists aren't painting something easily recognizable (i.e. a barn). The author did a great job in this book!



3. This book's images are impressive and provide motivation for the novice to explore abstract paintings. However, it really does not go into enough detailed instruction so that techiniques can be applied in the studio. I can't recommend this book except for those painters who 1) already have some experience with abstraction, and 2) novices who want a general introduction and can find other sources to help answer technical questions. It's a pretty book with little technical substance.



4. I have really enjoyed this book. It is informative on technique as well as rich in concepts, as the title suggests. It has many high quality photos, and is filled with wonderful examples. Thought provoking and well written. A welcome addition to my art library.



5. Good book. Really clues you in on the whys and what fors of abstract painting. After reading this book (more than once) I was not intimidated by trying my hand at abstract painting. The photos in the book are awesome. The author knows her art as does those artists who contributed to the book.