My Guide: How to Write a Novel


Non-Fiction - Writing/Publishing
325 Pages
Reviewed on 03/13/2014
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

Author Biography

Author of several self-help books, Rebecca Richmond enjoyed a highly successful career within global organisations. As a qualified coach and master practitioner of NLP, hypnosis and Time Line Therapy™, she is ideally equipped to help people achieve the success they deserve.
A qualified proofreader and editor, Claire Pickering enjoys helping authors achieve their goals. Having worked in the publishing industry for many years, she demonstrates expertise in editing, publishing and marketing methods that work.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Ray Simmons for Readers' Favorite

I read a lot of self-help books and when I do, I want them to inform me, give me specific, practical, and above all useful information in a particular area. It helps, of course, if the book is organized and well written. My Guide: How to Write a Novel by Rebecca Richmond and Claire Pickering gets five stars. It meets all the criteria for becoming a great self-help classic. It is thorough, comprehensive, and very well written. I have read several books about writing, in particular writing a novel, and many of them were informative about particular areas of the process, but this book covers everything and it covers it all well. I was pleasantly surprised and very impressed. Most of all, I was inspired to dust off my own unfinished manuscript and go to work again.

My Guide: How to Write a Novel has eleven chapters. There are three hundred and four pages when you include the bibliography and index. Rebecca Richmond and Clare Pickering are thorough and professional as they lay out a road map for the aspiring writer and deserve all the success and acclaim that should follow a job well done. My Guide: How to Write a Novel is not dry reading of information. There are many interesting facts about the history of writing and inspirational tidbits about famous authors. But the meat is there, too. All aspects from getting started to actual publication are covered in My Guide: How to Write a Novel. I give it five stars.

Faridah Nassozi

My Guide: How to Write a Novel, by Rebecca Richmond and Claire Pickering, is a self-help book aimed at nurturing 'young' writers into full professionals. The book is a step-by-step guide with tips on how to write a great novel from the beginning to the very end. The authors take you, in great detail, through each step of writing from developing a storyline to getting published. My Guide: How to Write a Novel includes all the must-know tips from plotting, researching, structuring, character development, grammar and formatting, to getting published and everything in-between. My Guide: How to Write a Novel has all the small details that determine the difference between any novel and a great novel. It elaborates everything you need to know, including emotional commitment about writing a captivating novel.

My Guide: How to Write a Novel is a detailed and easy-to-follow guide on the art of writing an amazing novel. The book starts you from scratch and takes you through a detailed journey that will see you come out a sought-after writer. The instructions and tips are very detailed and yet easy to follow, making this a must-read for all new and potential writers. My Guide: How to Write a Novel is a complete guide on the what, where, when, and how of writing a must-read novel. It is the ABC of writing a captivating novel and will be very useful to you whether you are new writer looking to write and publish your first novel, or a seasoned writer looking to polish your skills.

Mamta Madhavan

My Guide: How to Write a Novel by Rebecca Richmond and Claire Pickering is an informative book that gives useful tips to writers, both published and aspiring, on writing and publishing; especially to those who are thinking about getting their work published. The authors address some of the problems that writers face when they venture into publishing and the book clears up a lot of doubts about submissions, blurbs, and many more aspects that go into writing and publishing. The book is very encouraging. Debut novelists will be able to make their dreams come true by using the ideas and tips given in this book.

The book provides you with the skill and techniques to improve on your existing manuscript and it also helps to develop your writing skills and make you into a good writer. The exercises at the end of each chapter are useful and provide aspiring authors with the opportunity to move on smoothly with their writing and fulfill their dreams of getting published. The coaching tips are also very useful in improving writing techniques. The authors speak about rejection, which is something most writers face when submitting their manuscripts.

I found the book extremely useful. The authors have shared all the information that will help writers when they want to get their work published. It is easy to comprehend and the tips are simple; the book is fast paced.

Patricia Day

My Guide: How to Write a Novel, by Rebecca Richmond and Claire Pickering, contains information of epic proportions in terms of being a treasure trove of ‘do’s and don’ts’ of the writing and publishing world. Rebecca and Claire have captured all you need to know, and more, in this excellent book. Sharing their own professional knowledge in profound, often humorous ways, they answer many questions or doubts the reader might have in attempting to create their own masterpiece. Topics include Developing Your Craft; Crafting Your Storyline; Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation; Where to write; What to write; When to write; What is your Target audience? The book abounds with research resources, in which anyone can find the information, or answer they seek.

With great skill, Rebecca Richmond and Claire Pickering outline, explain and advise on how to be the very best writer that you can be. Writer’s block? Change one or more basics in your environment and you’ll soon be creating again. It was reassuring to read that many of our great authors doubted their worth. Many were rejected without consideration, and yet, because they persevered and used the right tools of creativity, discipline and perseverance, we have the blessing of their labors.

Rudyard Kipling, Benjamin Franklin, and Beatrix Potter suffered rebuke when publishing their work. Anne Frank and William Golding, as well as George Orwell had to overcome the negativity of the big world of publishing, too. If they succeeded against all odds, what’s to say that you cannot do it, too? Personally, with the many resources given within the pages of this awesome book, I feel that if you just kept to the guidelines of this publication alone, you would be steps ahead of less-organized or disciplined writers. Truly, one of the best lay person’s language books I’ve read on how to write, develop, correct, and publish your work.

Anne-Marie Reynolds

My Guide: How to Write a Novel by Rebecca Richmond and Claire Pickering is the ultimate guide for the writer. It covers everything any aspiring novelist needs to know, from basic stuff like the equipment that you need, right through to actually getting that novel published. It asks the reader to answer one question – do you want to write a novel? It’s a concise self-help guide, not just to writing the novel but to answering your own self-doubts – can you write? Have you got the ideas but not the ability to write them in a way that makes sense? Have you tried and failed to get published? Rebecca and Claire are there to guide you through the process, explaining every little thing along the way, even down to punctuation and explaining the correct way to use grammar. Exercises are included, not particularly to test how well you have read the book, but to tell you if you are ready to take that next big step – getting a novel published.

I found My Guide: How to Write a Novel by Rebecca Richmond and Claire Pickering to be a helpful book. I love writing and have often wondered if I have it in me to produce a novel that is of a high enough standard. They have helped me a great deal and I think that any person out there who is even toying with the idea of writing should read this guide first. It teaches you not just to write, but how to express yourself in the best possible way and how to gather the inspiration you need, as well as making sure you understand exactly what lies ahead. Great guide.