Breaking into Fiction Writing: A Book Review

I met Bruce Gehweiler, one of the authors of this book, at OmegaCon in Birmingham, Alabama, in March of this year (2008.) At first, I did not intend to buy the book, which he cowrote with C.J.Henderson, because, after all, the title is Breaking into Fiction Writing, and at this time I don't write fiction. But Mr. Gehweiler was so friendly and so helpful in the advice he gave me in conversation, that I picked up the book and looked through it. Immediately, I realized that there is a great deal of information in here that would be useful to a non-fiction writer like me, and I bought it.

I'm so glad I did.

Breaking Into Fiction Writing! is an excellent resource for any writer in any field, not just fiction writers. It takes a extremely down-to-earth approach to the writing business, never sugarcoating the facts or making any of this look easy. But for those who really want to get their work into print and into the hands of readers, this book covers covers every aspect of the process. Among the essential information shared here are:

How to write like a professional
A look at the parts of the business, including publishers, editors, graphic designers, distribution, marketing, and more
How to write a query letter, prepare a manuscript, find a publisher, and deal with rejection
Great ways to promote your book across various media, with a special section on maximizing the Internt.
Ways to grow your business, including how to apply for grants, get licensed, and use the Small Business Administration
A guide to self-publishing
These subjects and many more are dealt with in detail by people who know what they are talking about. Mr. Gehweiler is the owner of Marietta Publishing Company and an author himself, and C.J. Henderson is a successful writer of short stories and comics as well as novels and non-fiction.

No matter what you write, fiction or non-fiction, this guide will be well worth your money and your time.