Before releasing my first novel, I spent a great deal of time nose-deep in books about writing. Some were great, like Stephen King’s On Writing. Some were not-so-great, like any book about publishing technology (the slow turnaround means they’re obsolete before they hit the shelf). But it’s all informative and necessary, because first-time authors will go through a mountain of tomes on a quest to improve their writing.

At this point, I have spent a decade as an active author. I have published 25 titles over four different sagas. It’s been a heck of a ride and I have learned a great deal about the craft. And the more you learn, the less help you need. At the same time, writing offers a bottomless well of improvement. It’s a skill you never truly master.

So in an effort to suss out my blind spots, I wanted to read another book on writing. Much to my surprise, I already had one sitting on my shelf: The Successful Novelist by David Morrell. My version was titled Lessons From a Lifetime of Writing, a first edition. I was lucky enough to meet David at the beginning of my writing career. I purchased a paperback and he was kind enough to sign it. However, it would vanish into my to-read pile and I never got around to reading it.

And if you’re curious as to stature of David Morrell, he’s the highly respected thriller author who wrote First Blood, which introduced Rambo to the world.

So imagine my embarrassment when I realized that I had a ten-year-old book on writing from the creator of Rambo, which I had neglected to read. Life gets in the way, excuses, blah blah blah. But I had reached at a point where I was hungry for new wisdom and I was curious how the book would hold up. And much to my delight, it held up very well.

This was mostly due to Morrell’s talent as a master storyteller. He doesn’t scold or lecture. He tells stories about how he created methods or reached conclusions. It’s all very engaging, and by the time you reach a core point, you understand how he got there. Be it plotting, structure, or characters, the advice he gives is evergreen.

The only negative would be the sections on business and technology, which are now dated. The writing world has changed a lot since this book was written, so much of the advice no longer applies (a common issue with how-to books). I don’t know if the latest editions have updated these sections, but it would be cool to hear how his process has adapted.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Successful Novelist. It offers some valuable insights into the craft, and it’s nice to know that I can still learn a thing or two after a decade in the industry. And if you’re just starting out, this book is an easy recommendation. Morrell is a font of wisdom that you can return to year after year. (And as an added bonus, you get to learn a lot of cool things about the Rambo movies.)