As an aspiring writer, I downloaded this book hoping it might help me to break the code of how to outline a novel.

It did not help.

This guide is a hodgepodge of Young Adult plot deconstructions, and everything is so jumbled together that it was almost impossible to make any sense of anything. The author makes contradictory suggestions on what should happen in each chapter, but the suggestions are so ambiguous that I was left more confused than ever. While the book does point out certain patterns in the YA genre, it didn't reveal anything that I didn't already know. I do think some of the writing exercises might be appropriate for a creative writing class, though.

One last suggestion: The book needs to be edited. There were numerous typos and misspellings throughout, and they were so distracting that I couldn't take anything else seriously.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC for an honest opinion.

There is, apparently, a novel inside all of us! If you are struggling to find your inner voice this might be the kick start you need.

There are twenty five chapters to take you through the process and alongside them are cheat sheets and exercises. For example the first chapter's relates to a young adult manuscript, not something I would consider writing but the questions asked can be skewed to most genres and definitely shouldn't be ignored as irrelevant. By chapter 13 it is want vs need and, gradually, as you complete this book you also formulate a comprehensive plan for a novel which you can be pretty sure will cover most eventualities.

I was able to read a copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to all budding novelists especially those needing a little nudge.

This is a VERY detailed outline for plots, and as it's based on knowledge from very good books, it's a recipe for writing a good novel. Most of the books used as examples are no favorites of mine (sci-fi and fantasy) but the system works for all kinds. If every book followed this system strictly, it would of course be boring, but with a little individuality it's a very good basis.
The book is made like a textbook, including exercises, and I'm sure it will be very helpful.

Easy to follow, and an excellent beginner guide.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

This book is very helpful for beginners as it breaks down the writing process into good chapters and examples.
The author also provides examples of famous and beloved books to explain steps in planning and writing scenes or creating characters.
Overall I liked this book as a compendium to get quick help if needed, but I also discovered that I personally rather write freestyle.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC!