Hi Kelly, thanks for the response. I have done this you suggest: "you've got to study the book. So after you finish reading it, write a one-page synopsis of it" which is why I like to do book reviews. But I never thought about turning the book inside out as a compare/contrast exercise. That is a great way to learn about writing! And doing an outline on another book is great practice for doing an outline on the book you are writing. Great answers I never thought about! Thanks