Advice from James A. Michener on How to Write a Book

By Dennis Mellersh

One of the best ways to learn about how to write a book is to investigate what successful authors have written about the craft and study the advice they might offer.

James Michener wrote a number of books about his experiences in the world of writing books as a profession. One of them, the James A. Michener Writer’s Handbook, published by Random House, New York, could be helpful to you in your book writing ambitions.

I got my copy at a used bookstore, and as Michener’s book was written some time ago, it may no longer be in print. Last time I checked it was available used on amazon.com. You could also check your local library and also your local used bookstore.

One of the interesting aspects of the book is that it takes the reader through the process of editing and revising the original manuscript from first draft to the final version, which helps give the reader a good insight into this part of the publishing process.

The various stages of the editing process are illustrated with actual edited manuscript pages of some of the sections of Michener’s novels.

Michener gives credit to the editing process at his publisher with helping to improve the original manuscripts of his novels.

One of the myths among aspiring writers, who are in the first stages of writing a book, is that well-known book authors do not have to have their manuscripts edited. As this book shows, however, even famous authors fall under the blue pencil of the editing staff at a publishing house.

One of the sections of the book that could be quite helpful to new book writers is the section in which Michener answers questions that are most often asked by beginner writers.