Book Review: Get The Draft Done! By Charles F French

I’ve mentioned my novel several times on this blog and admitted how it’s in pieces (and admittedly still is). I’ve talked about my struggles time and time again with finding the time to write and how I haven’t reached my monthly goal, especially in recent months. Mainly, I’ve simply struggled with getting the first draft of my current novel (or any novel for that matter) done!

Well that’s where Get The Draft Done! by Charles F French comes in handy! This book is a must read for any writer who is currently working on the first draft of their novel and struggling with it! In the 89 pages of this book, Charles explains his experiences with getting his drafts done and everything he has learned from that process. He uses Amelia as an example of a writer who wants to write but doesn’t know where to start because of her busy life and her lack of inspiration. I definitely felt like I could relate to Amelia and if you get this book, chances are you’re in the same boat as Amelia!

This book shows us to get words on the page and turn the page into pages that will lead to the eventual first draft of your novel! And Charles presents this in a way that won’t make us feel guilty if we miss our goal or don’t get the draft done as quickly as others might. As writers, we are our own biggest critics, our biggest obstacle, and our own worst enemy. I know when I fail to meet a goal or when I hate what I’m writing, I don’t treat myself kindly and I make myself feel like a failure. But Charles tells us that we can start over and that the only way we fail is if we don’t try. So reading that made me feel a lot better and will hopefully help me treat myself a bit kinder when I don’t reach a daily or monthly word goal.

What I love most about this book is that it’s honest and offers writers great advice for getting their draft done. The exercises and suggestions made in this book are practical, helpful, and motivating to get writing and get the draft done! It’s a book for writers written by a writer who is sharing his honest experiences about drafting a novel and I think that’s important because only a writer can truly understand how frustrating the writing process can be.

I can’t say enough good things about this book. It will remain on my desk and by my computer so anytime I need a kick in the pants to write or want to reexamine how I’m approaching my novel, I can refer to this book for guidance. I feel that after reading this book I have the tools I need to finally get the first draft of my novel done and get started on another novel. I can’t wait to read his book on revisions when it’s released because I don’t doubt it will be really helpful for when I start my revisions (which seems so far away). And hey, if you need a recipe for an omelette, this book has that too! (If you’re curious how an omelette fits into a book about writing, then I suggest buying the book to find out)!

I would like to make book reviews another series on this blog. So let me know if you would be interested in more book reviews from me! And please consider purchasing Get The Draft Done! by Charles F French if you haven’t already! Have a great week everyone and happy reading!