Authoring Magic with Addition & Subtraction

The Rewritten Word: How to Sculpt Literary Art, No Matter the Genre (Kindle Edition)
By Aggie Villanueva (Paperback - Oct 6, 2010)
Paperback: 60 pages
Publisher: Cielos Rojos Publishing (October 6, 2010)
 Language: English
ISBN-10: 098259142X
ISBN-13: 978-0982591420


Reviewed by W. Joyce White


When artful thoughts begin careening at full speed in the writer's mind they are seldom finished products. Our creative thoughts need our involvement, blood, sweat and tears. We need to learn to add and subtract to improve our writing. Like Aggie tells us, we never get too good to improve our writing. Amazon reads, "The only How-to-Write book that has nothing to do with writing. It's all about rewriting. Whittle away what buries the art of your words beneath pulp, no matter the topic, no matter the genre."

What a lot of us do when beginning to write is ramble. This happens when our ego wants to be the star of the show. I like Aggie's view point to sculpt away the wood to get to the pulp or art. I also like her advice to launch readers into your word flow, and guide them with a concise rudder. No book is ever written, it is rewritten but what keeps our readers reading? I suspect the subject; next I think it is how well we know the subject. Third, and not the least, Aggie assures us that clarity and conciseness keep us published and read. Aggie has got the experience and know-how to advise us. Under her Visual Arts Junction umbrella, Aggie has launched Promotion á la Carte, author promotional services where, guided by her experience and organizational/marketing savvy, authors gain the most promotional bang for their buck.

As well as grammar tips, tool tips, adding and subtracting tips to rewrite, Aggie gives us seven wonderful webs to check out with regard to rewriting and editing. Editing Primer and Promotion a la Carte were my favorites. Writing is fun and medicinal but rewriting and promoting can be a drag. I've learned a lot from Aggie, her web and The Rewritten Word. I learned not to use I so much; to not use many ings; and to trust the experts like Aggie when it comes to rewriting, editing, promotion and getting our books published. Whether you are a beginner writer or not, you will want to keep this reference book handy to learn or relearn the magic of addition and subtraction when rewriting. Smooth, easy reading, FIVE STARS for Amazon.

----Reviewed by Joyce White, reviewer and author of Sculpting the Heart: Surviving Depression with Art Therapy and Sculpting the Heart's Poetry 

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