I really enjoyed this book. It was very readable, in a knowledgeable, friendly voice. It had some good advice, and a few things I already knew, but that did not hamper my enjoyment of the book. I would recommend it for a just-beginning writer.

A monthly column called The Writer’s Toolbox gets collected and transformed into the Literary Handyman. Actually, the title’s kinda clever, if you stop to think about it.
There’s a moment that made me love this book: the author’s talking about how writing is a solitary endeavor, “just you and your computer. . . or typewriter. . . or clay tablet. . .” Nice.
There’s advice that’s for the most part common sense, though I’m sure most beginning writers don’t think of this stuff. (Warning: on the cover it says “for beginners,” so don’t expect anything in depth if you’ve got some years under your. . . fingers.) The important parts for me were the droplets of humor sprinkled throughout, transforming what might otherwise had been a dry read into something more memorable. It is important to remember that these were originally in a once a week or month format; it’s a lot different reading them all at once.
3.5 pushed up to 4/5

In The Literary Handyman author Danielle Ackley-McPhail shares hints and tips on a wide range of topics of interest to any aspiring writer. I especially liked the sections on naming characters and writing dialogue, which include some very insightful suggestions.

At first glance, much of the information included in this volume might be a bit basic for more accomplished or connected authors, but I think this could be a handy reference guide for just about anyone -- sometimes it's easy to forget the basics when you're stuck in a rut.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with a free electronic ARC of this book.

The Literary Handyman suffers from trying to be everything for everyone. The tips are incredibly broad, which means many of them are common sense. A significant percentage of the content is reprinted from the author's contributions to a writing website.
The conversational tone is appealing and accessible.
This book is worth reading as a very broad overview of the writing and publishing process.

The Literary Handyman by Danielle Ackely-McPhail is filled with great advises for aspiring writers. The book is structured in small articles and very easy to read. Danielle is a fantasy and science fiction author and shares her experience freely (if you do not count the price of the book itself) and offers substantial insights on how to select your book storyline and characters and the different avenues where you can submit your work. She also provides perspicacious warnings on what not to do.