A Review of Reaching for the Stars by Lola Jaye

How to Realise Your Dreams From the Quick Read Series 2009

Jul 8, 2009

Lola Jaye has written an upbeat self help book based on her experiences of making it as a novelist.

Lola Jaye had always wanted to be a writer but never really believed her dream would come true. Her description of the process she went through to make a success of her writing is described with feeling in this book.

The Layout

The book is divided into 13 chapters, each one dealing with a different aspect of keeping dreams alive, for example, dealing with challenges, staying focused or keeping a perspective.

Self Belief

Many writers feel an inescapable urge to tell their story, but there is more to it than that. Keeping a degree of self confidence alive is important as few novels are accepted by the first publisher that’s approached. Mistakes are made as the novel takes shape and coping with knockbacks is not always easy.

Talking to other writers was not part of the daily life of latter day novelists but modern day communications ease that process considerably. A sense of self belief is greatly enhanced when you know that others are in the same boat.

Keep Writing

‘Practice makes perfect’ is a hackneyed phrase but so appropriate to writing a novel. No writer has the first draft of anything published and keeping at it is vital. Patience and perseverance are important but also recognising and relishing those breakthrough moments.

In the early days, writers often fit writing round their day job; Lola describes how she juggles her daily life to encompass her need to write. Scheduling and keeping lists of priorities helps her arrange her day.

Keep Perspective

Lola Jaye makes the important point that by balancing the rest of life with writing, the writing improves. Returning to a difficult page after a break away, with family, doing something the writer enjoys or just putting on the washing brings a fresh eye. Perspective is difficult when you’re close up. Sometimes just sitting back and realising what she’d achieved so far gave Lola fresh impetus.

Hard to Put Down?

Like many of the Quick Read Series, this is an accessible book, simply written and digestible. The individual chapters are each written out of personal experience. Lola Jaye has been through the process and knows what happens along the way. There are no tips on writing skills or how to approach publishers – this is not a practical self help book. Rather, Lola wants to keep dreams alive.

Recognising that getting a novel published is not easy, Reaching for the Stars serves to be encouraging and positive. Rejection and criticism are prevalent in this game. The right mindset and a certain degree of perseverance and self belief were central to Lola’s success. Reaching for the Stars illustrates how dreams can be realised in any area of life.

About the Author

Lola Jaye works for the NHS as a counsellor in North West London. She has written two novels: By the time you read this (2008) and While you were dreaming (2009).

Quick Reads Series

Quick Reads are aimed at people who’ve either lost or never developed their reading habit or just want simply that, a quick read. They are short, often only about 100 pages long, and are written in an accessible and appealing style.

There are 32 books in the series including ten published 5 March 2009 to coincide with World Book Day. Learning resources are provided to develop reading skills.