by G.B. Pool (Author)

A Book Review by Jackie Houchin

WORDS, WORDS, WORDS, The Art of Writing, is the third book on writing by G. B. Pool. It contains helpful tips on Research, Dialogue, Character Arcs, and the Three Act format, but there is so much more in the book. It’s entertaining, it’s true storytelling, it’s humor, and it’s even wrapping your knuckles for writing mistakes, if you are willing to learn by them.

Pool shows readers “HOW it’s done.”  By that I mean she gives examples on finding ideas for stories, by telling of experiences in her own life – travel, jobs, love, marriage, loss, moving – and then showing how she used them for whole narratives, incidents, or characters in her short stories and books. It is quite a novel idea, as you can totally SEE from the excepts how she did what she’s teaching you. It gives newbie writers hope, let me tell ya!

She quotes Aristotle and Shakespeare! She gives illustrations from books, plays, and movies, as well as her own writing. She uses word play, puns, and even a bit of snark.  It is marvelous!

Some of her favorite and oft repeated helps are: “Does it advance the Story? Does it enhance the story? Is it redundant? (Is it redundant?).” “Write on!”  “It doesn’t matter what you don’t have; it’s what you do with what you have.”

Regardless if you use an outline or not, Pool recommends using a Timeline, because it keeps track of WHO does WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, and sometimes WHY.  Her explanation of how to make a Timeline is very clear and helpful. And along with that she recommends making character biographies (short or long).

As an extra treat (and education) Pool includes several of her own short stories for you to read, with a helpful tip on what to look for in them.  She ends with a heart felt cry for you to get your stories down, for your sake and the sake of a great future!  WRITE!

FIVE STARS

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