Review: Very helpful and informative
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 20, 2012
"You Are a Writer" by Jeff Goins is a very helpful and informative book, full of advice from a professional writer, and written for the writer who enjoys writing but hasn't called him or herself a writer (yet). That is where the book starts; it ends with tips for success and publication as a professional writer and author. It covers a lot of material simply, and is a good user guide for new writers.The book shares a few of Goins' personal stories based on how they relate to the information in the book, showing that he has been there and lived to tell it. The book is instructional, and subjective from the author's professional experiences, but the information provided is still sensible. The majority of the book is solid advice about taking yourself seriously as a writer, building a platform, establishing a brand, making connections, building relationships, and pitching (to magazines, blogs, etc.).Goins' talks highly of starting a blog, publishing traditionally, and being persistent. He says that being a writer is hard work and takes perseverance. He basically says that if you do everything in the book, you will no longer have to pitch to publishers - the publishers will come to you. Though, he does mention that you should still pitch occasionally to maintain your platform.I recommend "You Are a Writer" to writers new to the scene. The book will give you courage to take the steps to becoming a successful writer and will provide a lot of information to help you along your journey.