Creating Fiction [Paperback]

Julie Checkoway (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1884910513 | ISBN-13: 978-1884910517 | Publication Date: March 15, 2001

Readers will learn how to revise and edit from Jane Smiley. They will find ways to evoke time and place from Richard Russo. Charles Johnson offers a passionate discussion of the writer's apprenticeship. Lan Samantha Chang presents strategies for structuring stories. Charles Baxter explores tone and emphasis. The 24 contributors to Creating Fiction - members of the Associated Writing Programs - have won awards such as the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the National Magazine Award. The have led workshops, published stories and novels, and now their experience and wisdom can be found in one landmark book. Their sage advice, combined with more than 100 writing exercises, assure that Creating Fiction will engage and delight readers at any level of experience.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Julie Checkoway is the head of the creative writing program at the University of Georgia and was the 1998-1999 president of the Associated Writing Programs. She is the author of Little Sister: Searching for the Shadow World of Chinese Women.

Product Details

• Paperback: 294 pages
• Publisher: Story Press (March 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1884910513
• ISBN-13: 978-1884910517
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #276,922 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Complete Writing Workshop in One Book, September 7, 2001

By 

FictionAddiction.NET - See all my reviews

This review is from: Creating Fiction (Paperback)

Imagine having 23 professional writing coaches at your disposal - each instructor teaching the fundamentals of writing they've perfected over the years. "Creating Fiction" is the best of nationwide creative writing programs taught by respected novelists and short story writers.

Established authors offer their expertise in these informative essays. Every entry ends with related exercises pertaining to the writing elements you've just learned. In fact, you'll find over 100 writing exercises taught in expensive workshops.

These writing essays tackle the challenging aspects of your writing venture. This in-depth guide to writing covers:

* Thinking About Fiction

* Characterization

* Point of View

* Plot, Structure and Narrative

* Style and Voice

* Revising, Editing and Marketing

Every category provides a variety of essays, offering several unique perspectives to help you perfect your craft.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent reference book for writers and writing teachers, December 4, 2008

By 

Betsy Finesilver - See all my reviews

This review is from: Creating Fiction (Paperback)

Creating Fiction is very usable for students and teachers of fiction writing. The primary strength of this book is that the authors give concrete instruction for developing skills as a fiction writer, rather than vague, abstract advice. They tell the reader what works (and what doesn't work) in their classrooms.

Every essay contains examples from classic and/or contemporary published writing--from Shakespeare to T.C. Boyle. Thus, teachers will easily be able to pair these essays, or lessons on the writing theories and practices contained within the essays, with reading assignments. Also, every essay ends with a list of writing exercises that encourage the reader to practice the theories or advice. Teachers and students will be able to use the essays and exercises effectively learn how fiction functions, and apply this knowledge to their development as writers.

Also, because talented fiction writers wrote the essays, they are extremely enjoyable to read. These discussions of fiction theory, which in other books may feel heavy and overdone, are very approachable in Creating Fiction. Undergraduate students (and other beginning writers) will not be frightened or overwhelmed by this book.

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Selection of Essays, June 28, 2011

By 

Julia M Nolan - See all my reviews

This review is from: Creating Fiction (Paperback)

Creating Fiction asked various well known writers to write about various topics in writing. Results vary, of course, but there's some great advice in here (mixed with not so great advice - but this happens any time you get a big group of people). I definitely thought that this has a place on most writer's bookshelves (or at least is worth borrowing if you can't find it reasonably inexpensively).

More than most books on writing, I liked that this had 1) a fairly large group of novelists who were queried (so the advice was varied) and 2) assigned them all topics so that articles didn't cluster around one facet of writing (i.e. the plot, character building, whatever). In general, a good read.