SARAH MLYNOWSKI

See Jane Write:

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This new writing handbook is the first of its kind to focus entirely on chick lit. Mlynowski brings her writing savvy as the author of numerous chick lit novels to See Jane Write, while Jacobs offers the no-nonsense perspective of an editor. The book also features humorous tips and advice from scores of established writers, including Meg Cabot, Sarah Dunn, Emily Giffin, Kristin Gore, Marian Keyes, Sophie Kinsella, Nicola Kraus & Emma McLaughlin, Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez and more!

Reviews

“The ultimate how-to handbook for writing chick lit--packed with indispensable advice, trade secrets from bestselling authors, and must-have market info! I wish this had been around when I was writing my first book.”
	--Melissa Senate, author of See Jane Date and The Breakup Club

"If you've ever fantasized about writing your own novel but felt intimidated by the challenge, here is a truly inspiring book. Reading See Jane Write is like getting candid advice from your two best friends -- who just happen to be a published author and editor. Sarah Mlynowski and Farrin Jacobs take the mystique out of this daunting process and make it familiar and fun. Pretty soon you won't just be identifying with the heroine of your next chick lit novel, you'll be identifying with the author on the cover, too. For that matter, maybe she'll even be you! I'm definitely recommending this to the students in my class on How to Write Chick Lit."

-Stephanie Lehmann is the author of YOU COULD DO BETTER and THE ART OF UNDRESSING.

“Give "See Jane Write" to a friend who likes "chick lit" and don't be surprised if someday you see that friend's name in print....Although aimed at a specific niche market, this is a practical writer's handbook that's usable by anyone."
	- McClatchy Newspapers

"All the charm and irreverence of a typical chick lit novel is embodied by See Jane Write....Whether you've always wanted to write a chick lit novel or feel mired somewhere in the middle of your manuscript, See Jane Write gives readers a friendly shoulder to lean on. With encouragement and advice in every chapter, this is the book to have sitting next to your computer if you dream of seeing your name in glittery letters on a pale pink paperback."
	- www.absolutewrite.com

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Excerpt

Introduction: I Could Write That!

Here’s the thing about you: You love chick lit. You read it often, staying loyal to your favorite authors, but always willing to open your heart (and eyes) to a new chick on the block. When you read it, you laugh, you smile, you nod your head in recognition, you feel exposed, you feel hopeful. You think, I’ve thought that, I’ve been in that situation, I’m pretty sure I’ve dated that guy, and so on, until finally you arrive at, Hmm. I could write that.

Here’s the thing about us: We’re here to tell you, “Yes, you can.”

As a bestselling chick lit writer (meet Sarah) and a former chick lit editor (say hello to Farrin) we know a thing or thirty about chick lit. We’ve watched a lot of good women translate their lives’ highs and woes into good fiction. And we’d like to share our knowledge with someone who feels she has her own chick lit story locked somewhere inside of her: you.

Despite what you may hear, there’s no formula for chick lit. You can’t connect the dots and end up with a bestseller. But you can benefit from advice--and that’s what we’re here to provide. Us and a few of our friends and acquaintances--Meg Cabot, Sarah Dunn, Emily Giffin, Kristin Gore, Marian Keyes, Sophie Kinsella, Nicola Kraus, Emma McLaughlin, Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez, to name just a few.

You’re probably anxious to get to the guide part of our guide, so we’ll make this introduction short and sweet. But there are a few things we want to explain about how the book works. It’s broken down into two main parts. In Part 1, we talk about the general stuff: everything from what exactly chick lit is to how writing chick lit is like dating to how to steamroll your excuses and start your book already. In Part 2, we break down the writing process, touching on subjects like choosing your point of view, making your heroine likeable, and why you might want to reconsider including a gay best friend in your cast of characters.

We’ve sprinkled some cheeky but helpful (always helpful!) sidebars throughout the book. The ones titled “Mistakes I’ve Known” let you in on some of Farrin’s experiences editing chick lit manuscripts. “It Happened to Me” offers up anecdotes from Sarah’s writing life. “Chick Lit Mad Libs” both poke fun of some of the chick lit conventions and highlight the most egregious clichés--so you can avoid them. And “Words of Wisdom,” well, that’s pretty self-explanatory.

We occasionally take a tough-love approach, but that’s because we know you can handle it. You want your novel to be the best it can be.

And that’s what we want, too.

We hope you enjoy our guide to writing chick lit--and that it helps you become the heroine of your own story.