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Description
Gotham Writers' Workshop has mastered the art of teaching the craft of writing in a way that is practical, accessible, and entertaining. Now the techniques of this renowned school are available in this book. Here you'll find: a) The fundamental elements of fiction craft-character, plot, point of view, etc.-explained clearly and completely; b) Key concepts illustrated with passages from great works of fiction; c) The complete text of "Cathedral" by Raymond Carver-a masterpiece of contemporary short fiction that is analyzed throughout the book; d) Exercises that let you immediately apply what you learn to your own writing. Written by Gotham Writers' Workshop expert instructors and edited by Dean of Faculty Alexander Steele, Writing Fiction offers the same methods and exercises that have earned the school international acclaim. -- Back cover.… (more)
User reviews
This is a non-fiction book that is designed to help you as a writer improve on your art. Chapters cover characters, plots, descriptions, dialogue, setting, voice, pace, theme and drafts. It is full of suggestions, tips, exercises, and experience as well as a writer’s cheat sheet.
I found myself highlighting quite a bit of it and marking pages to reference later. Each chapter is written by a different writer who gives you their experience in that particular area. I loved how the writers were honest on what they did wrong as a new writer and what they are still learning. It gives a new writer hope.
There is nothing useless on any of the pages. Everything said is so helpful and can be used. This is a book you’ll find yourself going back to and referencing many times if you are a serious writer. When you get this book, make sure you have pencil and highlighter ready to go. You might even want a notebook to work on the exercises. This would be a great book for a writing club to read and discuss.
Note: This book was purchased with my own funds.
But I still believe that there's not always a wrong or right way to write, and this book actually says that too. For all the general rules and guidelines it gives you, there's always a note at the end of the chapter talking about the exceptions and the ways you can break the rule if you so desire. I appreciate this.
I will also point out that this book mainly focuses on literary fiction and not genre fiction, and therefore I disagree with a lot of the rules and advice it lists. Perhaps literary fiction is a lot pickier about things, or maybe genre fiction is just way more open to whatever the heck you want to do. I honestly enjoy genre fiction a whole lot more, and people who say it's just for entertainment while literary fiction actually says something important are just snobs and have no right to say what's art and what's not.