Write Is a Verb: Sit Down. Start Writing. No Excuses. [With DVD]

by Bill O'Hanlon

Book Overview

Bill O'Hanlon is the author of over 20 books in 19 years, and has worked with many publishers and agents. In this book, he offers advice on how to get your book published. The accompanying DVD helps... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1582974594
• ISBN13: 9781582974590
• Release Date: January 2007
• Publisher: Writer's Digest Books
• Length: 212 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

I FINALLY Stopped Putting Off My Writing!

This is by far the BEST book I've come across on getting writing done (and I've read a lot of them)! As a full-time (well, almost) procrastinator, I had been putting off my writing FOREVER!! But after reading Bill's book, I am happy to say that I am 15 chapters into my novel, and hope to be finished in the next couple weeks! The difference this book made for me was this--Bill says that it's ok to work in increments, rather than forcing yourself to spend hours upon hours writing. He suggested starting with 15 minutes of writing time a day and working your way up from there. The other major thing that made a difference for me was--Bill says that writers should do what works for them, not what works for other writers. Each writer is unique and has a specific way of getting things done. I used to beat myself up because I'd sit down and write something, then I'd find out it was full of holes, and rather than editing it, I just tossed it aside. But not anymore! Bill made me realize that it's ok to do things how I need to do them. I was always under the impression that to get writing done you had to do like I was taught in all my creative writing classes--just sit down and start typing away. But that doesn't work for me. For me, plotting the story out ahead of time works. And not only does it work, but it keeps me from having enormous plot holes and makes the whole writing and editing process a breeze. If it weren't for Bill's book, I may have never realized that it's ok to do things my way. If you're looking to get your writing done...read this book!

Getting on with Writing

I'm guilty of puttering around, too busy with this and that, to find time for writing. Now after reading O'Hanlon's book, I see pretty clearly the psychology behind this procrastination. As a professional therapist and prolific author, he knows what he's talking about. The part that really grabbed me was the exercise pages sprinkled through the book. The exercises include defining your motivation, identify nonwriting habits, generating ideas, making promises and commitments, setting a plan of action, identifying your strengths, benchmarking, finding a focus, and more (total of 20 exercises). Somehow writing down my responses to the books prompts served as a wake up call. I sat right down after reading the book and wrote an essay to post online. I hope to keep up the momentum and if necessary, reread parts of the book, or get out my answers to the exercises to refresh myself. There's a DVD with the book that includes the 20 worksheets/exercises and also includes six handouts that he usually gives participants in his writing workshops. The DVD includes some audio and video programs with the author talking about writing and publishing. I'd recommend this to all writers.

Great Motivator to Get Off the Dime and Start Writing

This book reminds me in approach to some of the anti-clutter books written by Don Aslett (Clutter's Last Stand: It's Time To De-junk Your Life! and For Packrats Only: How to Clean Up, Clear Out, and Live Clutter-Free Forever!). These are no-nonsense, common sense books that get right to the heart of the matter and most of all expose all the lousy excuses that people come up with for not doing something they supposedly care about. In O'Hanlon's case, it's about the art of writing. In Write is a Verb, O'Hanlon unmasks and bares all of those exuces and reasons that people come up with for not writing. The bottom line advice is: to write, you have to write, whether it's garbage or mediocre; writing begets writing, but it doesn't start until you put pen down to paper (or fingers down to keyboard) and do something! He is sensitive to where this procrastination comes from (he is a therapist, after all) and he lays down in easy to follow form the ways to overcome our blocks. The book includes worksheets (actually useful) and references from many colleagues that add value to his lessons. If you want to write, read this book, then start writing.

Especially recommended for aspiring writers.

WRITE IS A VERB: SIT DOWN. START WRITING. NO EXCUSES offers writers an excellent survey of how to overcome common barriers to writing and self-expression. Writers who complete projects write and work through these barriers and while plenty of books admonish doing so, few offer up a program to achieve this goal. Chapters on changing set writing patterns to spark creativity, breaking up tasks, and tackling rewriting and polish present the author's own course, and even includes a DVD workshop which compiles all worksheets in the book in electronic form. Especially recommended for aspiring writers. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch

A caffeine blast of motivation for would-be writers!!

Smash through writers block! "Write is a Verb" is an effective kick in the butt to those who want to write but find all types of obstacles and excuses. Author Bill O'Hanlon is not only an accomplished writer and a prolific author, but also a licensed psychotherapist. He runs workshops on helping writers and would-be writers overcome psychological barriers and resistance to the activities that would help them meet their goals. The tone is never preachy, but eminently practical, sprinkled with self-diagnostic exercises. Use this to finish that book or writing project that you've always wanted to complete!! As a bonus, the book comes with a DVD of the author and various handouts to buttress his suggested tips and techniques.