Customer Reviews

Awaken the Writer within: Discover How to Release Your Creativity and Find Your True Writer's Voice

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This book was used by a local tutor as the basis for a series of weekend classes in creative writing. Many students said it was the best course on the subject they had ever attended. While attending the course, I bought the book myself and use it frequently.

I think, potentially, the ideas and exercises in this book might appeal to those who have fully harnessed the right side of their brain, but others might struggle.

The approach relies heavy on the use of visualisation, dreams, visions, Tarot and some akin to self-hypnosis to tease out the writer within. Imagining discussions with, between and through fictional characters, locations, objects and theoretical concepts might seem odd to those without an open mind and the willing to feel a bit foolish. If you have tried to Draw on the Right Side of the Brain, you might have a better time grasping some of the more creative and outland angles of approach in getting to an end result here - but the book isn't worthless without this perspective by any means. I found some of the more straight forward examples for timed exercises and getting the creative juices flowing with prompts really worked well - but, I'm really not sold on the potential of the package as a whole.

As a relatively short read, you won't waste too much time giving the approach your consideration, even if it doesn't appeal in the end. I doubt that anyone could come away from the text without one or two new ideas, and those with a more active imagination might grasp a great deal more.

I bought this book for my partner - a wannabe writer - and read it myself. It is full of good ideas and exercises to help you develop characters, plot, etc. Any writer prepared to work through it would probably benefit.

Robert Flatau