What
Half memoir, half tactics, and all fantastic.
Why
You won’t be able to put this thing down once you start. It doesn’t read like a pedantic “how to.” It’s a story. Told by your best friend who is trying really hard to be honest with you about the fact that you’re probably not cut out for this. Still, he gives you the tools you need to improve as a storyteller, with tons of examples of what works, what doesn’t, and why when it comes to literary style, syntax, story structure, grammar, etc. But mostly you get brutal honesty.
If that’s not convincing enough, this excerpt from the forward should do it: “This is a short book because most books about writing are filled with bullshit.” (page ix)
(Note: It’s not short. But you will be glad. I didn’t want it to end.)
Disclaimer
Not a book on copywriting. A book on writing. Specifically, storytelling. The real kind, not the metaphorical kind Godin and Gary V refer to all the time.
This is not about influencing behavior (though you could argue it’s about influencing feelings. After all, your readers should feel something after reading you. Otherwise, what are we doing here?)
