The Complete Guide to Writing Fiction [Hardcover]

Barnaby Conrad (Author), Santa Barbara Writer's Conference (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0898793955 | ISBN-13: 978-0898793956 | Publication Date: May 1990 | Edition: First Printing

A complete, concise guide to writing and selling long and short fiction, including outlining, description and more.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Although the venerable Santa Barbara Writers' Conference, held in June, covers almost all aspects of words colliding together--from travel writing to poetry to film scripting--this volume focuses solely on the fiction aspects of the confab. Addresses given by various keynoters over the years, from Eudora Welty to Harlan Ellison, Tom McGuane to James Michener, cover all aspects of modern tale-spinning. Lively reading, all pointing to the advice given by Ellison: "The trick is not becoming a writer folks, the trick is staying a writer." Perhaps this volume will make that stay a little easier.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 312 pages
• Publisher: Writer's Digest Books; First Printing edition (May 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898793955
• ISBN-13: 978-0898793956
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,159,180 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The title says it all, October 3, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Complete Guide to Writing Fiction (Hardcover)

I found this book to be very through when it comes to giving advice on a wide range of topics regarding fiction writing. I loved hearing the different points of view from both well-known and little known authors. It kept me interested from beginning to end, and I was actually a little sad when it ended (That has never happened to me when it comes to a writing book!) I'd recommend it to any aspiring author.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent - very readable, August 14, 1998

By 

Antony Guntrip "Tony Guntrip" (Oxford, England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Guide to Writing Fiction (Hardcover)

A very good, very enlightening piece of work. Much easier to read and get along with than similar volumes. This is primarily because the book is a collation of many authors' viewpoints, each offering a different slant on the topic at hand, enabling the reader to plot their course with the combined advice of legions of famous and not-so-famous writers available at their fingertips.

Highly recommended.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The title doesn't lie, May 14, 2011

By 

Saluki (Orlando, FL USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Complete Guide to Writing Fiction (Hardcover)

Not only is this book truly a complete guide; it's one of the best I've ever read on the subject of writing fiction. From writing dialogue to writing sex scenes, you'll find it covered thoroughly and with a wealth of examples in this book.