An enormous help for writers of fiction stories
933407
This is something I'll keep by my side as I write stories. It is an enormous help in sorting out my characters and what drives them as well as all their good, lovable parts.
4973479
This is part of the Write Great Fiction series from Writer's Digest. Each book in the series covers one broad aspect of writing fiction, and of course there is some overlap as well.

I liked this book a lot, and learned a good deal from it. Bell recognizes that different stories and different writers need to approach plotting in different ways, so this is not a cookie-cutter approach to plot construction. Earlier on, we are introduced to the difference between literary fiction and commercial fiction, which Bell elucidates particularly well. The book includes a lot of diagrams to clarify things like rising intensity, crisis points, setbacks, and so on.

Bell's mnemonic for basic plotting is LOCK (lead, objective, confrontation, knockout). After introducing that framework, he goes on to talk about what makes a good beginning, middle, and end. Although most of the examples come from novels, the basic ideas apply to short fiction with little adaptation.

There is a good discussion of the three-act structure (and how it relates to other structures, such as the hero's journey). The chapter on scene writing is solid - he describes action and reaction as the major chords in fiction, and setup and deepening as minor chords. This is a good way to stay focused on what a scene needs to do, without getting pulled into excessive exposition.

There is a lot of good advice in dealing with complex plots and common plot problems, and a review of common plot patterns and what each entails. The interaction between plot and character development is approached from several different angles.

When it comes to outlining, Bell recognizes that some writers are drawn to outlining and others avoid it; he offers tips for people in both camps, without trying to impose his own method on his readers.

This book has exercises at the end of each chapter, which I did not do much with. Mostly, they are just questions to ask about books you have read or about your own work in progress.

While I don't necessarily think every writer needs to own each book in this series, getting one or two of them (on subjects that you find particularly interesting or challenging) is probably a worthwhile investment. I can recommend this book as a solid resource for dealing with plot and structure in fiction writing.
2791086
While ideas are a dime a dozen, the concept of generating ideas may seem like an elusive task. This book will be a great help in this quest.
Generating Story Ideas proposes several techniques and tips for generating and developing ideas for fiction. The format is practical with exercises, instructions and  examples showing the "how is done" part.
Here there is no space for generic (and questionable) advice like "get out of your comfort zone" or "watch people", "eavesdrop conversations".
Instead an active attitude is proposed, gathering raw material and working on it to build your idea, making inspiration feel like a process that can be performed, instead of an incident that happen to some lucky author.
The techniques may not be all original and new, who have goggled the topic may have read about similar tips.
I still advice to read this book, the collection and the time saved having the techniques gathered, is alone worth the price. Above this the presentation is wonderful and really helpful in making the process of generating ideas actionable.
395996
Blaine Hart delivers a master class in how to compose fiction.  This book takes you through each of the many elements that work together to produce great stories and once you have read this book you will not only be aware of how they interact to make stories that are interesting and engaging, but also the secrets of how to use them to make your story better.

The writer covers a wide array of topics including how to make a stunning opening, how to make your characters fascinating, how to create memorable scenes and how to introduce plot twists.  Blaine Hart takes you through each stage of your piece of fiction until you have built up a winning and marketable story.  He is great at showing how the story should arc and how you should pace your work.

There are a huge number of little details that I found very useful such as the importance of using encounters in your fiction and how to write believable dialogue.

Perhaps what sets this book apart from the competitors is that the writer is not only concerned with how to make a great work of fiction, but how to make you a better writer.  His advice is concerned with the whole area of writing and any budding writer will find a great deal of practical and reliable guidance.

A great way to improve as a writer!
2344201
This booklet is filled with loads of useful and inspiring prompts. It not only inspires creativity, but encourages the writer to think out of the box and reshape the suggested story scenarios to fit into the genre of choice.
4254917
This book is a great introduction for writers to rediscover the art of the short story. The author includes some subtle humor and excellent advice. It is an encouraging read, and one that really kicks you in the pants to get to work with specific calls to action!

I have only read a few short stories since high school. As a nonfiction writer, Let's Write a Short Story reintroduced me to the idea of crafting narratives for myself and others to help explain the concepts I want to teach. Not only does this help me become a better writer, but also a better storyteller using the spoken word.
1158842
This book has been a blessing, packed full of traits to use, along with descriptors and examples. It truly helps adding new life to my fiction and is close to my laptop at all times. As a reader. I do get tired of reading the exact same descriptions for characters created by various authors. They could all be clones of one another. This book allows a writer to add a few negative traits to all characters, allowing them the space to flesh out and become three dimensional. I heartedly recommend this book!
762965
Koch combines the best of writing advice from authors on writing. It spans the entire process of completing a narrative text, covering not just fiction but also memoir.

It begins with the process of writing the very sketchiest of rough drafts and takes the writer to the final product of a completed story.

It examines the elements that go into a good story, and how the writer excavates his or her story from all of the notes in the writer's mind and assorted notebooks and pieces of paper.

A great read that should lead to great writing.
4290485
I am a new fiction author. This is what I need. The information is concise and useful. I am glad I found this book.  It contains everything you need to set yourself on a path to a career writing fiction.
2345210
Very insightful on how to write stories that others will be truly drawn into. I would recommend this book to anyone serious about writing fiction.
1282960
This is an excellent resource for writing and editing fiction. I found that the examples given throughout the book to illustrate points were very useful in showing how a rewrite could dynamically improve a scene. The Editing Checklist alone is worth the price of the book.
2572614
A very thorough read for new writers of fiction, as well as a great reference for experienced writers. This provides understanding of structure in a way that appears most applicable to fiction. It also brings you into the mind of experienced writers, providing an example of how to proceed in one's own writing.
1180386
This book on novel and screen play writing brings a clarity to the fiction writing process I have not found before. In order to make this point, hopefully persuasively here, let me just say that I have been laboring at bringing my novel-writing skills up to publishable level for a number of years, and consequently I have read a lot of excellent fiction-writing how-to books, at least over 30 and took thorough notes from most of them, and also even completed two courses on fiction writing to boot.

This book is essential.  It's rather amazing, really.  Larry Brooks packs into one volume a huge a mount of concentrated but very-reader-friendly and key information for writing fiction, specifically novels and screenplays. What is particularly good about this book is that he doesn't get bogged down in the specific details of specific fiction techniques, like how to write realistic dialogue, how to use metaphors, how to describe emotions by showing rather than telling--all skills that are very important to learn and develop skill at writing.  This isn't the only book you should read to perfect your writing skills, but it is really a good place to start!

But what the novel writer needs, first and foremost, is a game plan for actually structuring an effective novel.  Effective whether you are writing popular fiction or aiming for literature.  Not formulas, but the big picture and what needs to go where and why.  Formulas are rigid. Every principle Larry includes is flexible to a degree and in no way inhibits creativity.  As a matter of fact, creativity is quintessential to apply those principles successfully!

The key points Larry Brooks includes are not all that new, although the in-depth understanding you can find on every page is new, and the potent clarity he brings to each point is new.

Clarity is essential to all of us who write fiction, even beginners, even pros, those of us aspiring to create the "great American novel," or a best seller, or just to get published.  We need to know what we are doing.

If I had to go to war again (I did once) and if I were a commanding general, there would be a lot of things I would need to know and remember.  I would, of course, benefit from a lot of experience in that arena (like for the writer putting words on paper over a period of years!).  But I would need clarity. And I had better be clear on what I need to achieve to get victory and how to go about it, what to do first, then next, and then next.  Fiction writing is a war!

The chapters on theme are among my favorites (although you couldn't pry ANY part of the book away from me).  More clarity there than I have found in any other book, though some came close.

Would you like to publish a novel, would you like to do that in a few years rather than ten or twenty?  I cannot guarantee you'd be published, of course.  But assuming you have that potential, and all that goes into it besides a knowledge of the craft, this book can, to my mind, hasten your victory.

Highest recommendation.
100783
I cannot say enough good things about John McNally's Vivid and Continuous: Essays and Exercises for Writing Fiction. The exercises he offers are versatile and emphasize the exploration of craft rather than a step-by-step recipe for emulation, the essays are revelatory even for the most learned writer, and all throughout the prose remains natural and engaging as though the man himself were sitting across from you at a tavern table. For the teacher of writing, it offers new perspectives on how to shed light on writing patterns both good and bad to the developing writer. And for the writer in process it serves as a keen diagnostic manual for turning a stuck draft into a work in progress.
2428053
I love this book!  If you write ANY type of fiction, this is a great tool to have for those days slow days infront of a blank screen.
1438477
I got an inscribed copy at the Pacific Northwest Writers Conference and finished it yesterday. I have so many stickey's in it it looks like a porcupine. It is detailed and inclusive of novels, creative non-fiction, movie scripts, plays, and coloring books. Chris has read, digested, and devolved the most important aspects of myth and story telling. Not all stories need to follow the Hero's Journey, but the really good ones do, in my opinion. Every writer should read this book and keep it in his library for future reference--like every week.
4541175
Without a doubt, Bring Your Fiction to Life is one of the most in-depth guides for writing that novel than any I've seen in years! This is a book for the writer with that deep, burning desire to get serious in this profession. Not a gloss-over, and not the stale, routine advice found across the web. This is quality advice that makes you dig down and discover the magic that makes a novel marketable and memorable. Karen Wiesner is a writing how-to guru, and this book shows you why. Not a guide I'll be loaning out anytime soon for fear I won't get it back.