
While there have been entire books written about aspects of the four C’s, there hasn’t really been a book that focuses entirely on balancing all four of the C’s to become a successful author. That is exactly what Gelfand set out to do with “You Can Be a Winning Writer” and she does this well. She pulls together lots of great advice and anecdotes from many successful authors, many of them Pulitzer Prize winning. It’s well-researched and put together, whereas a lot of writing advice books seem like they’re all saying the same thing. As Gelfand breaks down the 4 C’s, any writers are bound to pick up some helpful hints in all areas of their writing lives.
Whether you’re looking for help with better crafting your words, how to build better commitment with your writing, building a community around your writing, or building confidence in your writing abilities, there’s a little something for everyone throughout the book. While the book does break down each of the 4 C’s in detail, each section touches a bit on each of them naturally. For example, when talking about Craft, naturally you’ll have to discuss Commitment to your writing, Confidence in your writing, and Community that will help you stay committed and confident in your writing while helping other writers with the same.
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“You Can Be a Winning Writer” is definitely worth a read. I’d suggest taking notes whenever something strikes you that you can apply to your own writing. There’s just so much good advice packed into every section of this book. It’s the kind of book you may read multiple times just to absorb all the lessons within, from Gelfand’s own personal experience and from all of the other writers’ stories she shares.
You may not even consider yourself a writer right now. But if you’ve even ever dreamed or even just thought of being a writer, go ahead and just do it. This book will help you not only get started, but also put you on the right path towards success. No, it’s not going to be easy. Gelfand doesn’t sugarcoat how difficult becoming a successful author is, but constantly reminds you that it’s possible with great dedication and discipline to sticking to a good plan. It’s a great writer’s manual and it should be on your bookshelf, no doubt about it.