Writing Successful Self-help and How-to Books (Wiley Books for Writers)

this is a manual more than a book. i have read most of it several times over, and some of the ideas only hit me after four or five 'revisions' of a topic.
i like the style and there are enough anecdotes and illustrations to bring the topic to life. for instance: there are numerous examples of sample titles, both of the good and bad type. Second, JM Stine uses the fact that self-help can be broken down in several categories to bring several examples every time. So, from the bird house contruction to the cure for ailment, the message about the structure comes through.

More than the titles et the styles, it is the 'other' advice that brings the benefits. The exercises that realkly challenges my perception. JM Stine in many places asks questions which i have found tough to provide an answer to. However tough tough questions are homing in on the flaws of my preparation. The questions do what a top consultant would do and spot the gaps. Hard emotionally at times, but great value added.

I feel a lot more confident now about my work, even though there are challenges ahead. The advice by another reviewer "If you follow only one third of the advice in this book, you will have a success" seems the best description.