Awakening the Writer Within how-to book is more likely to strike a sympathetic chord if you have New Age tendencies, given that one of Cathy Birch"s failsafes when a coherent plot-line proves as elusive as a happy ending to a soap opera is to consult tarot cards, throw dice or resort to astrology. That said, there is plenty here for aspiring writers to get their teeth into. Unsurprisingly for someone who has trained as a Jungian psychotherapist, Birch"s aim is to encourage, "you to explore the treasures of your subconscious, to revisit your childhood world of games and make-believe and to bring back what you find." Of particular use are her early chapters on the practicalities of being a writer--organising your workspace, flexing your writing muscles by regular timed writing no matter how sedentary your muse--and the psychology of tuning into your writing persona through word association and visualisation. If you don"t know what kind of writer you are how are you going to know what to write? These techniques are expanded in an amusing section on characterisation where Birch encourages writers to "sit down" opposite recalcitrant characters and engage them in conversation or to imagine them in unaccustomed social settings, citing the example of a smouldering Heathcliff-type doing the weekly shop. Birch writes as she preaches, with sharp, uncluttered sentences, and makes good use of bullet points at the end of each chapter to recap main points. This is a helpful read if your sluggish subconscious needs an inspirational stir. --Amanda Cameron