Writing is a creative activity that can be both uplifting and weighty. So many writers feel the need to 'have everything perfect' the first time it is on paper and that pressure is substantial. Craft books exist by the hundreds, but the really valuable ones impart so many tips and reminders that they become references- all dog-eared, flagged, and stained.

The Anatomy of Prose: 12 Steps to Sensational Sentences is EXACTLY this sort of book.

It is FULL of writing tools, from cover to cover, presented in the humor-laden style unique to Sacha Black. The witty, often sarcastic jibes only serve to sear the points into the writer's mind, and if that isn't enough, the entire last chapter is a condensed review of the book, perfectly suited to reference on the fly! Brilliant!

I always learn multitudes of new things from Sacha's books. Her previous two, 13 Steps to Evil: How to Craft Superbad Villains and 10 Steps To Hero: How To Craft A Kickass Protagonist, break down the creation of the two pivotal characters in a novel into tangible steps that work insanely well. The Anatomy of Prose: 12 Steps to Sensational Sentences is no different. Authors will find it well worth having at their elbow as they create. It's bound to become indispensible!

One of the aspects I appreciate most about the book is that Sacha Black drives home the point about language being an array of tools that are at a writer's disposal. Metaphors, similes, points of view, and tense may have been annoyances in English class, but now they are devices authors can wield with confidence in the name of writing their best book.

 If you don't believe me, buy the book and try it out yourself. I know your mind will change!

This book is not for the proper-at-heart, however, the author's fondness for 'bad words' and colorful phrases are well documented on her podcast, The Rebel Author Podcast, which is also full of writing tips, tricks, and lively interviews. I find her style engaging, fun, often hilarious, but always real and thought-provoking. She continues to inspire writers and authors on- and off-the-page all over the globe. Rebel Authors everywhere will attest–read the books, take the steps (all of them!) and you will succeed! The Anatomy of Prose: 12 Steps to Sensational Sentences is highly recommended!