See Jane Write: A Girls Guide to Writing Chick Lit by Sarah Mlynowski

See Jane Write: A Girls Guide to Writing Chick Lit Reviews

• 
  Dominica

  Reading about writing is a lot easier than writing itself, hence the appeal of how-to books such as this one. I've only read one chick-lit book in my life, The Nanny Diaries, and it was the worst book I've ever read. Ever. But it had the perverse affect of launching my career as a writer. "I could do better than this," I thought. And I did.
  The pleasure of See Jane Write is humorous tone, which alternates between gentle encouragement and a tough-love sensibility. There is lots of basic advice here about creating characters, plotting, style and other fundamentals that will be of use to new writers. The multitude of excerpts and examples from actual chick-lit novels that are helpful, even if the books themselves are not that good. The best part of this book is the "No More Excuses, Missy" chapter that helps you identify which personality flaw is keeping you from finishing your book. Mine is being too busy. Book says: "If J.K. Rowling can do it, so can you. If you want to write badly enough, you will make it a priority." Yes, of course. That's when I should have put this book down to work on my own. I didn't, so maybe I'm actually a procrastinator. The book prescription for this is a write-and-reward program, suggested bribes include donuts, TV time and shoes.
• 
  Jencey/

  I will one day publish a book. I swear see I am holding my hand up with this promise.
  I have learned a lot over the years visiting with authors such as Jane Green, Emily Giffin, Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Hannah, and more. One resource I decided to consult is See Jane Write A Girl’s Guide to Writing Chick Lit by Sarah Mlynowski and Farrin Jacobs.
  
  Sarah Mlynowski and Farrin Jacobs wanted to help amateur writers proceed through the steps to publication with advice, and how tos from of your favorite authors. Authors like Emily Giffin, Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus, and Sophie Kinsella. Sarah is a published author and knows the process well. Farrin is an editor and covers well what not to do portions of the book. They explain each step of the writing process.
  
  The book is structured a little differently then what readers are used to with a book on writing. The book is written in different color fonts and backgrounds that are not typically seen in the adult book market. The book also includes exercises on how to handle some of the finer points of writing.
  
  My Thoughts:
  
  
  I liked this book! I thought it was a great introduction to the Chick Lit Genre. I loved that it included advice from popular authors in this genre. I would keep a copy of this book because it offers advice that I could use as a writer. It would be very helpful! The only negative is that much of the information is out of date. Red Dress Ink no longer exists as a publisher. I would love to an update to the list of current publishers in this genre. Then ask for a modern list of authors. Still this is a great book to help you get started on your book in the Chick Lit Genre!
  
  
  
• 
  Jessica

  See Jane Write: A Girl’s Guide to Writing Chick Lit is a smart and snarky how-to write a novel guide written by bestselling author Sarah Mlynowski and former chick lit editor Farrin Jacobs.
  
  When you think of a how-to book, you probably think of something pretty dry and boring; this book is just the opposite. Written in a fun teal colored font with lots of section heads and boxes, the book is quite easy and entertaining to read.
  
  Something very cool and unique about this book compared to other how-to books is that the authors interviewed other bestselling authors like Meg Cabot, Marian Keyes, Sophie Kinsella and Sarah Dunn for tips and tricks to writing a novel.
  
  What I really loved about this book was getting two different important perspectives: tips from a writer and tips from an editor. Hearing about mistakes Mlynowski made along the way and mistakes that Jacobs absolutely hates finding in a manuscript really gave me some insight into the novel writing and editing process.
  
  One of my favorite chapters has to be ‘No More Excuses, Missy’ which lists 8 different ways of procrastinating writing a novel and how to get your butt in gear and actually start writing. The category I probably most fall under is ‘the really busy’ to which the authors say: “If J.K. Rowling can do it, so can you. If you want to write badly enough, you will make it a priority.”
  
  After discussing the history of chick lit, what chick lit is and different types of procrastination, the novel jumps into the logistics of novel writing: developing characters, plots, how to edit, and finally, how to get your book published.
  
  The end of the book offers definitions to publishing terms and a list of publishing companies.
  
  Now that I’ve read this book I have absolutely no excuse not to start my novel.
  
  Happy writing!
• 
  Patrick

  I'm probably the only guy on this website to have reviewed this book, but I have no shame in saying that it was a fantastic read. I initially picked it up because I'm working on a story that has a female perspective, and I wasn't sure if I was quite getting the tone right, so I was hoping to pick up a few pointers from some chick lit experts. It turns out that not only was this book incredibly helpful in writing chick lit, but it was actually fantastically helpful in writing of all types. The authors do a great job of helping prospective writers get over their hang-ups, both internal and external, and laying the foundation for successfully completing a novel. I was surprised at just how inspiring it was.
  
  Highly recommended for writers of any genre. The more focused chick-lit aspects of the book might grate a little, but it's easy to tune-out and focus on the general writing advice. It's a fun, easy read and I really feel like I learned a lot, despite not being the target audience. It's obvious that Sarah and Farrin have a lot of experience in the publishing industry and are remarkably forthcoming and even blunt, at times, with their knowledge. I definitely plan to keep this on my shelf for reference down the line. Really great stuff, believe it or not.
• 
  Catriona

  One of the most helpful writing guides I have read in a long time. This book has a wonderful feel to it, the information is not only helpful, it’s also inspirational (which sounds really cheesy and corny, but there’s really no other way to put it). It’s based around chick lit, but only loosely. I found that even though I’m not sure if chick lit is the route I want to go down, this guide taught me things that I would need to apply to any type of writing, and kept me motivated along the way.
  The books written in the ‘chick-lit’ style with funny captions and comments popping up as you read, which really makes it feel homey and welcome. It felt like you were being welcomed into this big community, where everyone’s your friend (Corny again, but true. Writing is an amazing thing).
  I’m not going to rate this book, because it’s non-fiction and I wouldn’t want you comparing scores between the two branches.
  So, pretty much if your interested in writing (and your a girl, this book isn’t really designed for boys), then you should definitely pick up this book next time you go shopping. It’s fun, relaxed, yet still gets you up on your own two feet.
  
• 
  April Corbett (Dorris)

  I started this book quite some time ago and I’m glad to have finally finished it. Even though I will be reading it again soon enough. This is the kind of reference book that I think should be revisited annually or at least before a work goes into the editing process. I was hit with so many ideas while reading and I’m looking forward to really working through them and getting into something more solid. Some of my favorite authors contributed stories and advice for this book so I felt a little bit more connected with the material. I recommend this for anyone writing for women, even if you won’t technically be in the chick lit genre.
• 
  Irene J. Meiske

  It took me more than a month to wait for the book to be handed-over by my bestfriend, but I finished reading it in less than a week!
  It was because this book was loaded wit so much important things about writing, and I wanted to quick mastered them before I continue with my personal project.
  One thing I was certain while reading this precious book: The era of chick-lit hasn't faded yet. And it's not easy to write ones, maybe it is easier to write a serious novel than delivering a sweet light novel with a lot philosophy of life to think about.
• 
  Amanda Patterson

  The ultimate book for writers who want to write chick lit. Written by two writers who understand the genre and the requirements, it's a practical easy to use guide. Filled with information from developing an idea to finding an agent, you will love the humourous tips and advice.
• 
  Angell Johnson

  This was a very well formatted book. The cover, text, font, and colors are “girly girl” friendly. I always wrote stories, never knowing which genre they belonged to. I’m a lot clearer now. My story was incorrectly placed in the romance genre when it was a chick flick with no married and happily ever after. For women of all social backgrounds, statuses, and races, this is a good book to read if you’re interested in appealing to other women.
  
  The only thing about this book was that she spoke of writing as if it were as simple as tapping a keyboard. This book omits the fact that each sentence of a novel has to serve countless purposes, follow tons of rules, and that blockbuster novels can possibly take several YEARS. It’s hard to move from one draft to the next because of the tremendous amount of reading and practice required. I love the classical references used in here, and I learned some new things about the legendary Zora Neale Hurston. Unique, informative, and quirky. It makes the gap between shitty draft and best seller more tolerable. Great read.
• 
  Ana Koljanin

  This book gave me lot's of anxiety and scared me to write even more. It has some great tips and tricks but all in all, I wasn't really happy with it. Yeah, they have some tough encouragement which can be great. But for someone who hasn't been writing in years and wants to start writing again, it was really a bit too much to swallow so that's why only 3 stars. Also, for someone who has been having hate relationship with their writing where you think that whatever you write is bad, this book is at parts really hard to go through.
• 
  Milo

  Really accessible tips and tricks that were written with a clear, encouraging, humorous voice! These tips aren't just good for Chick Lit, they're great for any novelist to know.
• 
  Melissa

  I wouldn't really know if this is actually a helpful guide, but my curiosity caused me to check it out. I did learn a few things about one of my favorite authors.
• 
  Lindsay

  I enjoyed this book immensely. It was succinct in its advice, and felt very user friendly. Definitely would recommend it to others, and personally will refer back to it when writing.
• 
  Amy

  I am hoping to get some good advice on how to publish all my old man-hating-love-letters, lol.
  
  
  See Jane Write: A Girl's Guide to Writing Chick Lit by
  Sarah Mlynowski
  
  
  
  My review
  I am hoping to get some good advice on how to publish all my old man-hating-love-letters.
  
  
  
  View all my reviews.
  
• 
  Claire Dawn

  Perfect book for any aspiring chick lit writer. First off, it's written by both an editor and an author giving insights from different angles. The girls start out with a history of Chick Lit, and move into reasons to write. They also give a comprehensive list of plasters for all the excuses you may have for not writing.
  
  Then they move into how to write. An important facet of Chick Lit, IMO the most impotant, is the main character. This book goes into how to create that character and details what traps to avoid.
  
  Some of my favourite features:
  
  Quotes and advice from other Chick Lit stakeholders
  Consideration of a wide range of Chick Lit sub-categories
  Quirky, Chick-litty feel to the book (it's written in teal ink, for example)
• 
  Traci Andrighetti

  I read See Jane Write in 2012 right before I started to write my first chick lit mystery, Limoncello Yellow. As soon as I finished writing my book, I read it again. What I love about See Jane Write is that the chick-lit style in which it's written actually inspired me to write my book. Plus, it has almost everything you need to know to be a chick-lit writer: a history of the genre, guidelines for creating characters, grammar dos and don'ts, information about the publishing industry, a sample query letter for pitching your book, and much more. I wish that it had provided a little more instruction in terms of the actual writing. But other than that, it's a must-read for anyone who wants to write chick lit and light women's fiction.
• 
  Jaime

  I picked this up because my current work-in-progress is ending up to be somewhere between chick lit and a cozy mystery. Cozy chick lit? I thought this was a fun and informative read, especially since I don’t read a ton of chick lit. When it comes to the actual mechanics of writing, there’s not much here that you won’t get in any other guide, but the tone makes it a super fast read. I especially appreciated the section on clichés, because I was in danger of falling face-first into one. I also liked the "it happened to me" vignettes provided by the authors, and the use of actual examples from published novels. This is definitely a book that will remain on my writing shelf.
• 
  Jillianne Hamilton

  Since May is International Chick Lit Month, this is the perfect time to review See Jane Write: A Girl’s Guide to Writing Chick Lit by Sarah Mlynowski and Farrin Jacobs.
  
  This cute and girly book isn’t exactly brand new- it was published in 2006. A lot has changed since then- mainly the boom of self-publishing and the popularity of e-readers and ebooks. But I won’t hold that against the book. Er, rather, the authors.
  
  Full review here:
  http://jillianne-hamilton.com/2013/05...
• 
  Jennifer Whiteford

  A surprisingly useful book for anyone trying to write a novel, chick lit or not. The advice given is fairly obvious, but truly helpful when it comes to mapping out a strategy for a book of fiction. The authors warn potential writers away from cliches and emphasize the hard work needed to produce a decent novel. Plus, the book helpfully demystifies not only the writing process, but also the process of getting an agent and getting published. It's funny and easy to read. Recommended.
• 
  Jen Daiker

  See Jane Write was the perfect read for not only a beginner novelist but for anyone who has a love for writing chick lit.
  
  I found great tips from season writers that was invaluable. It also didn't hurt that while they gave tips they also shared things that happened to them to keep us writers from getting defeated.
  
  The perfect amount of writing and chick lit tips. Anyone interested in learning the genre I implore them to pick this book up.
• 
  Kricket

  this guide may not have you writing pulitzer winning stuff, but it's fun to read and extremely inspiring. i wouldn't limit it to just chick lit writers either, but anyone who is relatively new to writing fiction- though it's definitely geared towards the lady writers. i'm borrowing some fun exercises to use when i lead a teen writer's workshop at the library this winter.
• 
  Cathy

  It is my dream to pen a chick lit book like my favorites! This book was extremely helpful in providing a step by step guide to accomplishing that goal. I highly recommend to any chick lit to be writer. I bought a cheap version from Barnes and Noble Bargain Books to keep as a reference. Now all I need is a little bit of time to put that pen to paper..
• 
  Kara

  
  A fun, cute read that’s also very informative on novel-writing, both with information specifically for the chic-lit genre plus a lot of solid advice that applies to almost any type of writing. Its written in a light, breezy style, that manages to pack a lot of good tips in without leaving the reader feel overwhelmed.
• 
  Angelique Jurd

  A good little handbook to have on...well yes...have on hand. This is less an "On Writing" type of book, and more a "well here's the basic formula - see what you can do with it". It has some great tips, advice and support - and is very funny. If you're starting out in romance and chicklit writing = you could do worse than to pick this to have by your side.
• 
  Susan Bazzett-Griffith

  An easy to read and follow guide with some good and some common sensical tips on how to write and schlep a chick lit manuscript. The authors find themselves more clever and cute than they actually are, and that smugness combined with the bright teal font make the book a lot less likable in my eyes, but overall, a decent read for what it is. Three stars.
• 
  Kelli

  I picked this book up yesterday at my library after running across it someplace online. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it is packed full of information not just for the "chick lit" writer but for any writer. Easy to understand and full of exercises to help you get and stay on the right track. So good I bought a copy online for my reference shelf.
• 
  Denise

  Great tips and suggested novels to read. Not only do you get a better idea of the separation between chick lit and typical romance novels, you get an idea of where this genre is going (or should go). I've started a discussion on it over at my Chick Lit group. Check it out!
• 
  Book

  I really enjoyed this book. I've always wanted to write in general- not just chick-lit. Reading this was fun to hear about the chick- lit aspect- but it also had some amazing suggestions overall.
  
  Definitely one I'll keep and keep looking back at.
• 
  Sarah

  I received this book for Christmas and inhaled it. It's well put together and entertaining. I have read other guides to writing and not walked away with as many ideas and helpful hints as I did with this one.
• 
  Roxie

  Fab guide to chick lit writing by excellent instructors: prolific Mylnowski pens YA too, Jacobs leans into nonfiction, and together this duo creates a dynamic guide including examples from those “who’ve been there and done that.”