Rating: 
Summary: Not Good
Review: I have never read a novel by Elizabeth George and don't think I ever would. The reason I see no purpose for this book is because it's no different than the hundreds of others "how to be a writer" books. The main flaw I have with this book is her dishonesty. On one hand, she admits that writers with passion and talent and discipline will get published, and that those with passion and talent won't- but those with passion and discipline will, as well as those with talent and discipline. And she admits that you don't need talent nor passion to be published, just discipline. Okay, then- the persistence of mediocrity is an obvious problem with published writers, so who are they then? George gives many examples on what she thinks consists of good writing, dialogue, description, etc. So where are the examples of bad writing? One cannot possibly learn and understand the good without learning the bad and why it's bad. She should have given examples of the so-called contemporary writers who fill the shelves (which she admits more than once for being bad)and show why. But she doesn't do that because she doesn't want to make enemies. 2ndly, what she lists as good writers is a joke- Maya Angelou? Maybe she's a good Hallmark card writer, but certainly she's not a good poet or prosist. Barbara Kingsolver she links next to Faulkner- c'mon, Liz! Barbara is obviously her pal and wants to help her book sales. I would not buy this book, and I discourage anyone wanting to persue writing to read this. She does not talk about the bad- and this is the most important thing a new writer should learn- that 99% of published stuff is junk and won't be remembered 5 mins after the author is dead. I recommend Loren Eiseley for a great writer to learn from. Study the technique of great writers by actually reading them- not low-brow "how to" books by mediocre "best-selling" authors.
Rating: 
Summary: Extremely practical as well as personal
Review: If you are looking for a practical, how-to become a writer book, look no further. George, who is a well loved mystery writer gives us a glimpse into how her books take shape. It's always fascinating for me to find out how a writer arrived at a particular character or scene. But she does more than give us biographical snapshots of her work, she breaks writing down into manageable chunks. Ms. George gives some very hands-on advice on how to develop character and plot, and even leaves her aspiring writers-to-be with examples of "character maps". She talks about plain old discipline and allows us to see her personal struggles with her work. I recommend this book to everyone wanting to learn about the craft of writing, but also to those who would like to see their favourite characters in an Elizabeth George mystery come into being.
Rating: 
Summary: for the serious
Review: The question you need to ask of any writing guide is "What kind of writer will this guide make me?" (A good question for all you MFA candidates to ask as well.) If you are not going to be a writing teacher--look hard at it and don't kid yourself--you need to be a writer that people read. This does not mean millions of people, I hasten to add. But it needs to be rather more people than read the work of MFA staff. (Face it: when was the last time you curled up with a Lex Williford?) And it needs to be from a decent house like Scribner or Viking or Random, not some tiny hand-cranked thing with more academic degrees than impact or relevance.If you intend to be a writing teacher or write novels while you pursue your accounting career, then of course this isn't relevant. But you won't find many guides with as much specific help as George's offers. The proof, of course, is in the pudding: what she does *works*. It might not work for you--but you need to be careful that you don't reject it 'cause it looks ugly or you just don't like it or you're really not serious enough...or she's not serious enough for you. I rather disagree with her taste in literature. (Kingsolver is one of the worst blots on American letters ever...only Nicholson Baker comes close.) On the other hand, she has an uncanny ability to see what works in Kingsolver and pass it along. (It must work for someone, after all, and the point of being a writer of any kind or seriousness is to be able to translate information into something else. That is, you get to take what works in Kingsolver and *transmute* it into something more morally and aesthetically serious, if you like. I mean, you *are* talented, aren't you?) She manages to convey one of the hardest things to learn about being a writer, which is the difference between your own headstrong opinions and those of your readers. (It's a lot like dating: you're allowed to think you're attractive, or you won't get anywhere, but you don't get to decide whether you have bad breath.) The point is simple: you *ought* to disagree with her, but you also need to learn from her, and she offers solid help.
Rating:
Summary: Help from one who has been there
Review: This is an excellent book for any aspiring novelist - from the practical advice using specific examples from real novels to the journal entries that reveal that even a best selling author struggles sometimes with writing. Elizabeth George takes us through every stage of writing the novel - with in-depth advice on basics like viewpoint and voice; dialogue, plot. She also goes through the craft, technique and the process. Principles are easy to understand because they are followed immediately by examples. I have read many books of this type and this is at the top of the heap. The book succeeds in both being inspirational and instructional. I recommend it highly.
Rating:
Summary: inspiring & entertaining
Review: WRITE AWAY is filled with the multi-layered adventures of this Writing Life, as well as instruction. Each chapter starts with an excerpt from the author's Journal of a Novel, as she thinks of what reviewers are saying about her work, or when she evaluates her writing the day before, or queries what on earth she's thinking she's doing, or enthuses about the books she's currently reading. Each journal excerpt introduces the lesson about such things as a story's Voice or its Scene or Dialogue. Elizabeth George spices the instruction with examples from many much-read authors such as Toni Morrison, E. M. Forster, Barbara Kingsolver, Stephen King, Alice Hoffman, John Irving, et al. Elegant, informative & a charming journey, Rebeccasreads recommends WRITE AWAY as an inspiring companion for the writing life!
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