Writing with a Heavy Heart

Using Grief and Loss to Stretch Your Fiction

By: Denise Jaden

Narrated by: Laura Jackman

Length: 1 hr and 35 mins

Publisher's Summary

This book explores the stages and outlets of grief and how to implement them into your fiction to create deep, interesting characters and a more engaging plot. Some topics of this book include: grieving before the loss, spiritual matters, and how grief affects different ages, personality types, and genders. Find out how to implement heavy emotional scenes authentically, without crossing over into melodrama. Learn which authors have done this well, and how they did it.

©2012, 2013 Denise Jaden (P)2014 Denise Jaden

Easy to understand and well written

This book is designed for authors who are new to writing about grieving characters or who want to use this element of their story more effectively or with more depth.

The book is broken into sections, with each section containing key points and practical exercises you can use to create conflict and build depth in your characters.

It's well structured, easy to understand and there are examples to help you see how you cam apply the exercises to your writing.

Laura did a great job with the narration, it's very smooth and well paced.

This book was supplied free by the author/narrator/publisher and I voluntarily wrote this honest review.

If you found this review helpful would you please take a moment to click yes below, thanks.

Competent writing craft book

Probably a better choice for a pantser than a plotter, but contains enough information to make it worth the listen either way and save on research time and ideas for character's motivations.

Contains a link to the author's website for downloadable materials.

Quick listen if you're commuting.

Got some good ideas from it.

From Grief in Your Heart to Words on a Page

What did you love best about Writing with a Heavy Heart?

A highlight of the book is the author’s explanation of the process of writing about the character’s spiritual realization and healing from the grief.

What other book might you compare Writing with a Heavy Heart to and why?

This book went into a specific genre, but it can be accompanied with listening to, "The Successful Author Mindset." Both audiobooks detail the writing process.

What does Laura Jackman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I enjoyed the narration in this book. Often instructional books are better heard than read.

Any additional comments?

This book begins with the author’s journey turning to writing after experiencing her own grief. The Chapters are separated by quotes and then brief descriptions before the author lays out tips and foundations for writing based on grief. The author also details the problems about writing about grief and how it impacts the characters.

The book ends with a suggested reading list and quick tips from the author. I highly suggest this book for anyone who is looking for help in the writing process.

I will listen to this book again!

Would you consider the audio edition of Writing with a Heavy Heart to be better than the print version?

I didn't read the print version, but I enjoyed listening to this book very much, especially when I'm driving.

Any additional comments?

I’m starting to write and this book has given me great insight about grief, that I haven’t even considered before. It’s a great resource to listen to again when writing about someone who is hurting.

Narrator Laura Hackman has a very pleasant voice and did a great job reading this book.

I received this audio-book free for an honest review by the author, narrator, or publisher. Thank you!!!

A Great Book to Have For a Writer

Writing With a Heavy Heart is a great audiobook to have in your toolbelt if you're an up and coming author. This audiobook provides some invaluable information on getting in touch with your feelings through grief and how you cope with it. A lot of good info packed into a fairly short audiobook.

Laura Jackman did a fine job narrating. She spoke clearly and was easy to follow. She made this an enjoyable listen.

"This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review."

Not HEAVY going.

What made the experience of listening to Writing with a Heavy Heart the most enjoyable?

This audio book is 1hr 35minutes long; a big incentive to listen again and again and ... I will.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

There wasn't any least interesting aspects. The subject matter is unusual which kept my interest and kept me listening.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

I enjoyed all of the book, it's a fascinating subject; well written and presented.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I didn't listen to this book in one sitting, but I might next time around.

Respectful

Any additional comments?

I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author.

This was such a good book in explaining how you can make your characters deeper and realistic. The process of grief in writing hadn't been something that I had paid much attention to before, but Denise Jaden shows how you can implement it within a novel both as a plot aid, character development and realistic process of actually grieving in real life. It was incredibly respectful.