DISCOVERING the DIAMOND

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Amazon Reviews

5 stars

Highlander 10 January 2014

I found this book, "Discovering the Diamond", really useful. Some books I've tried are so full of technical data that I struggled to understand them. I already had a basic knowledge of writing, but there is so much conflicting info out there. This is ideal. Easy to read and understand, with clear examples and tips which I needed to know. Furthermore, it comes from an established writer, so the proof of the pudding has already been eaten, lol. So glad I read this BEFORE I published. It means I can present my book with more polish now. I shall definitely be reading it more than once, to try to ensure I retain what I've read.

I recommend this book to any aspiring writer. It will help to add polish and good presentation.

4stars

Hiraethus o Gymru VINE VOICE 20 November 2013

Anyone thinking of entering the field of literature with a view to becoming a writer would find this book invaluable, since it cover most, if not all, the techniques and pitfalls involved. Invaluable advice on presentation, style, characterisation, and marketing the completed work, including self publishing, comes from a successful and acclaimed author who has been there and done it. This book is a fascinating read, giving an insight into a complicated field that so many people of all ages fancy trying their hand in. Who knows, it could open the door to a new career in this time of sparse employment opportunities, in particular for university graduates having difficulty in using their talents..

5 stars

L. M. Wilson 1 September 2013

I bought this excellent book for my Kindle and found it so useful. There are a lot of changes going on in the publishing of books and Helen and Jo have given us such a helpful guide to all the ins and outs that aspiring writers in particular need to know. It is cram packed with so much of interest, not just about publishing in but writing too. It is well worth every penny. I too love the inspiring title as it is truly a diamond among "how to" books. I recommend it highly.

5 stars

Deborah Swift VINE VOICE 31 August 2013

I bought this on kindle with the idea of seeing if it would work well as a guide I could recommend for my creative writing class, and found it was packed full of useful information. If you want to know how to polish your work so that it meets the requirements for publication or the discerning reader, this is a great start. Helen Hollick is a well-respected historical fiction author, so this works particularly well if historical fiction is your field.

5 stars

Alan Grainger 14 August 2013

A very worthwhile addition to every aspiring writers bookshelf; tips in this book can save hours and hours of unproductive effort. I've been writing for a number of years and thought I knew it all but Helen Hollick's book has given me some ideas.

5 stars!

linda dent mitchell 14 February 2013

This book is excellent, both for the beginner and the experienced writer. I cannot praise it highly enough.If you want advice from a writer at the top of her game, this is the book for you!

Linda Dent Mitchell: author of the oribliss castle series and the lizzarda lexx trilogy

5 stars

Amazon Customer 29 April 2012

Helen Hollick and Jo Field have produced a concise, easy-to-read and very useful guide to writing and editing fiction and and preparing it for publication. It only takes a few hours to read, and its packed with useful advice and examples. New writers who are considering self-publishing their work, eiher in printed form or as e-books will find it invauable.

The book is divided into just six chapters, and I found the chapters on writing tecnique and editing especially valuable.

I am a self-published author, my work is a family memoir rather than fiction, but I found everything that Helen and Jo had to say was equally relevant to my chosen genre, and I wished I had had this advice before I published my book.

I have no hesitation in recommending this book to new and established authors.

5 stars

Debbie Young 24 April 2012

This little volume doesn't cost much and won't take long to read (I finished it on a long car journey) but that small investment is very worth while. It should be compulsory reading for every aspiring writer. Like the diamond in its title, it's compact but valuable, drawing on many years' first-hand experience before the empty page. Although Helen Hollick is now a successful and popular novelist, she's not too proud to share mistakes that she's made in the past and generously allows us to learn from them - and from her triumphs too.

Although primarily aimed at novelists, this book contains many pointers relevant to non-fiction writers. All the advice is imparted in a friendly, supportive manner that make it very easy to access and absorb. Even the most defensive authors who bridle at the thought of anyone editing their work will be gently persuaded to hone their work until it shines.

I love the title and its implication that underneath your rough rock of a book there is a diamond lurking, if only you are prepared to spend long enough polishing it. Discovering the Diamond will soon become dog-eared on many an apprentice writer's shelf through constant reference. It is in itself a gem, and a polished one at that.

5 stars

mari Watson August 22, 2014

Discovering the Diamond has all the tools you will need to write your book. This easy to read style by Helen Hollick, contains real gems for polishing your Manuscript. Great examples are given. Why you should show- not tell, as you write. Head- hopping what is it and how not to do it? Which tense to use when you write and many other real tips that can help you. This is a well- respected Author sharing her years of writing. I am enjoying each tidbit and highly recommend this Book.

5 stars

Michelle S February 3, 2014

Helen Hollick has put together a helpful, encouraging, easy to follow guide for novice writers who hope to publish their books. I learned a lot and highly recommend it!

4stars

yymconnelly July 29, 2013

Helen Hollick's very readable and informative guide to producing a publishable novel should be especially helpful to writers who have already written their first draft. As other reviewers have noted, Discovering the Diamond contains guidance on point of view, continuity, the importance of the opening scene, the presentation of a page, as well as on obtaining professional editorial assistance. I particularly appreciated the section on setting the scene. Examples comparing "telling" and "showing" provided the hook I needed to enable me to judge my own pathetic scribbling in a new light! This book does not address certain topics commonly addressed in other advice books, such as how to structure the plot (my own dilemma back when!) and character development. While these topics may be wanted or needed by the beginning writer, one can hardly fault an author for not including every conceivable topic. Hollick and Field make up for this omission by generously providing suggestions for additional reading, including the work of an author I used during my own terrifying pre-writing phase. The first section of Discovering the Diamond contains a thoughtful and objective overview of the various publishing options currently available. Based on this information, I now have a better idea about which publication option may best match my own needs. I recommend this book as a welcome addition to any writer's tool box.

5 star

Charles M June 16, 2013

I've read several books on this theme, many of them mediocre at best. One even suggested that one should write a novel without worrying about the plot! This guide is highly practical, with good examples and good advice. One tiny quibble is that I don't agree that one should avoid foreign words and provide a clarifying translation if one does include them. I find foreign words and phrases, provided they are short, add colour, even if I'm not able to understand the exact meaning. But that is a matter of taste. Thoroughly recommended.

 5 stars

A Reader April 18, 2013

Helen Hollick does a wonderful job of educating writers just starting out on what works for readers and publishers these days. There are a lot of writing guides out there, but many of them are a bit dated. Helen's is not. I especially appreciated her comments on getting published. Most guides that I have seen were written five or more years ago, and the industry has changed dramatically since then. It was a big help.

5 stars

smhopkins April 24, 2012

This book is full of suggestions and examples of how to write a story, get published, to sell and promote your book. This this perfect for writers who are starting out.

For example, Helen shows how to write about third or first person correctly in a story, which I found very useful. She also gives her honest and critical opinion about self-publishing which we all need to hear.

She gives warnings about companies who are frauds and what to look for. Also, gives great advice on publishing E-books and so on. Helen writes realistic, insightful, honest and sound advice which is refreshing.

As a book reviewer I found this useful for writing my reviews and for my own creative writing. This will be my go-to book for tips and such.

Stephanie

Layered Pages

4stars

Jel Cel April 11, 2012

Although I am not at this stage interested in writing a book, I found this a very informative read. I have often wondered about the process of preparation of the books that I get to read. With examples of the polishing process given from different drafts of some of her own books Helen Hollick and her editor Jo Field have presented a thoughtful book with suggestions for all steps of the way.

The sections are written to lead the person considering writing a book for publication to the best steps to get it noticed by the agent/publishing house and makes it clear how difficult it is to get published. Information is given about self publication, and the difference between the process for self publication as opposed mainstream publication is discussed.

I did not know why vanity publishers were called such, but now do.

The style of the writing is informative, and never lectures, but stresses the importance of editing. As my husband recently read a book that had the moon in two different phases on the one night on the one page, the importance of good editing was stressed.

I recommend the book to any thinking of writing their own book, they provide references to other books they think can take you further, but as a starting place this is a quick and easy read, with the possibility of providing inspiration.

4stars

M. Muir April 7, 2012

`Discovering the Diamond' is an excellent, easy to read, well-structured guide, which allows for the novice writer to hone the base material of their manuscript into a polished gem which will knock the publishers' eyes out (hopefully).

In this short book, multi-published author, Helen Hollick pulls no punches in stating that becoming a published author, either at the hands of a reputable publishing house, or through assisted publication outlets, or by pure self-publishing, is not an easy task. Even the perfect manuscript is not guaranteed a place on the bookshelf.

What this informative guide does is to lay down the ground rules which, if followed, will place the novice writers' work in a competitive place, towards the head of the queue for assessment.

One must remember that literary agents and publishing house editors are human beings, and the amount of time they can allocate to each manuscript submission is limited. Unlike the budding author (and published authors too), they cannot dwell for hours over a couple of pages, tweaking a word or phrase here or there, trying to polish the work to perfection. If you are lucky, they will read the first paragraph or perhaps a page of a submission, before either accepting it for further reading, casting it to the slush pile, or most likely, dropping it into the reject basket.

`Discovering the Diamond' lifts the lid on the transgressions of all authors - both published and novice. For example, too much tedium will bore a reader to death, and obvious errors in spelling, tense and syntax, along with obvious anachronisms, provide an instant no-go.

Hollick strongly advises writers to treat their work to the services of a professional editor and not to rely on a family member who will say he/she loves it despite all its errors.

Hollick also advises honesty in the way new writers look at both their own and other people's work. And to illustrate each new section, she provides examples using scenes from her own books. My only comment here is that I found some of the passages a little over-long, and would have preferred more succinct examples.

Then there is discussion on layout and cover design, the use of contractions, and more, plus a timely warning about the pitfalls confronting new writers including those companies who bubble with enthusiasm to publish your first book - at a cost!

Personally, as a published author both in mainstream and self-published outlets, I could relate to all that is contained in `Discovering the Diamond'. And though the information was not new to me, reading it was a timely reminder of the grammatical traps I can, and have fallen into, through complacency, when writing my novels.

I would recommend `Discovering the Diamond' to any budding author seeking publication. Some real gems of writing wisdom are contained within its pages.