Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel by Lisa Cron

I agree that this book can be a valuable asset to a writer either starting out or finding themselves in the midst of a brain freeze. There are several points Cron makes that are logical and worth investing some time in. I agree that more work needs to be done with character development. I’ve read too many books where the characters are undeveloped or just lack any personality. What I don’t agree with is that a story shouldn’t start with an outline, or plotting. I believe you need both elements in order to create a great novel. You need character development, which this book can be extremely helpful with, and you need to have a solid plot outline; a developed plot thread. I also believe that most writers could do with a bit of grammar study. Having just one piece of the novel puzzle won’t gift you with a magical outcome. You need all of the pieces. Overall I feel this is a book worth reading and referring to but I don’t feel it’s the only reference an author should refer to. I received an ARC through Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence my opinion in any way.