The Making of a Story: A Norton Guide to Writing Fiction and Nonfiction [Hardcover]

Alice LaPlante (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0393061647 | ISBN-13: 978-0393061642 | Publication Date: August 17, 2007 | Edition: 1

A beloved writing teacher compiles fifteen years of her expertise, exercises, and examples in a new primer for creative writers.

The Making of a Story is a fresh and inspiring guide to the basics of creative writing—both fiction and creative nonfiction. Its hands-on, completely accessible approach walks writers through each stage of the creative process, from the initial triggering idea to the revision of the final manuscript. It is unique in combing the three main aspects of creative writing instruction: process (finding inspiration, getting ideas on the page), craft (specific techniques like characterization), and anthology (learning by reading masters of the form). Succinct, clear definitions of basic terms of fiction are accompanied by examples, including excerpts from masterpieces of short fiction and essays as well as contemporary novels. A special highlight is Alice LaPlante's systematic debunking of many of the so-called rules of creative writing. This book is perfect for writers working alone as well as for creative writing classes, both introductory and advanced.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

A writer and seasoned creative-writing teacher, LaPlante has assembled a treasury of materials to back up her literary expertise. In her discussion of metaphor, for example, LaPlante quotes Byron, Denis Johnson, Flannery O'Connor, Shakespeare, and William Gass. In her extrapolation of the old adage, "write about what you know," she presents a poem by Sharon Olds, a page from the journals of Leonard Michaels, and Eudora Welty's indelible advice: "Write about what you don't know about what you know." Comprehensive in its coverage of inspiration, craft, aesthetics, veracity, and purpose, this one-stop guide to writing is casual in tone and rigorous in content, elucidating the nature of fiction and nonfiction and clarifying the qualities unique to each and common to both. Each chapter contains an explication of such subjects as point of view, creating characters, and narrative structure; writing exercises, and an illustrative story by the likes of Tim O'Brien, ZZ Packer, Lorrie Moore, John Cheever, and Maxine Hong Kingston. Expansive, clear, and sophisticated, LaPlante's richly resourced guide is destined to become a standard. Seaman, Donna

Review

Comprehensive in its coverage of inspiration, craft, aesthetics, veracity, and purpose, this one-stop guide to writing is casual in tone and rigorous in content, elucidating the nature of diction and nonfiction and clarifying the qualities unique to each and common to both. Each chapter contains an explication of such subjects as point of view, characters, and narrative structure; writing exercises; and an illustrative story by the likes of Tim O’Brien, ZZ Packer, Lorrie Moore, John Cheever, and Maxine Hong Kingston. Expansive, clear, and sophisticated, LaPlante’s richly resourced guide is destined to become a standard. (Booklist )

This big, comprehensive book is almost a complete writing course. (Book Passage ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 688 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; 1 edition (August 17, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393061647
• ISBN-13: 978-0393061642
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #110,982 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Treasury of Creative Wisdom, July 29, 2007

By 

Donald Newman (Los Angeles, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Making of a Story: A Norton Guide to Writing Fiction and Nonfiction (Hardcover)

I've been taking fiction workshops for years from many truly wonderful teachers, and yet I was blown away by this book. Full of wit and wisdom, this breathtakingly comprehensive primer on the writing of both fiction and creative non-fiction leads you through all aspects of crafting creative work: from sparking ideas for stories and essays, to developing them using a full range of craft tools, to revision techniques that take an early draft and push it toward a completed work of art.

As I read through this book--and it's a book that you will read from cover to cover, like a novel--I found myself exclaiming in surprise and then nodding with agreement at the utterly original and illuminating explanations of things I thought I knew. The book's chapter on "Showing and Telling" alone is worth the price of admission, as it simultaneously provides a context for that old saw "show not tell," while revealing why the advice can be so wrong-headed. Likewise, the chapter on structure provides a firm grounding in traditional notions of what a short story should be while opening our eyes to the wonderful possibilities of work that doesn't fit neatly into that mold.

Whether you are just getting started or are an old hand at writing, each page will bring you exciting discoveries about craft and creativity and open up new worlds of meaning as you delve into the work of well-known as well as up-and-coming writers. Most importantly of all, you'll be inspired to sit down in front of the blank page (or computer screen), roll up your sleeves, and get to your own creative work.

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth.", October 7, 2007

By 

E. Bukowsky "booklover10" (NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Making of a Story: A Norton Guide to Writing Fiction and Nonfiction (Hardcover)

Alice LaPlante's "The Making of a Story" is textbook-length (well over six hundred pages), and should appeal not only to serious writing students, but also to teachers and readers who would like more insight into how writers create. Creative writing is not for the faint-hearted; that is clear from the outset. It is easy to feel overwhelmed when staring at a blank page or screen, trying to come with original ideas and fresh ways to express them. LaPlante gently and slowly guides her readers through the entire process from getting off the ground to putting the finishing touches on the final draft.

LaPlante's scope is encyclopedic. She includes such topics as: making the ordinary extraordinary, employing imagery effectively, writing a good opening, developing plot and characters, choosing a point of view, writing believable dialogue, generating suspense, and revising one's work. She also discusses the strengths and limitations of writing workshops. The author emphasizes that there are no hard and fast rules; rather, she is passing on "conventions" that have worked for many but not all writers.

How does this work differ from others of its type? "The Making of a Story" covers more territory than most writing handbooks. Part of the book's length results from the inclusion of quite a few full-length classic stories, such as Tim O'Brien's "The Things They Carried," John Cheever's "The Swimmer," James Baldwin's "Sonny's Blues," and a non-fiction piece, Barbara Ehrenreich's "Welcome to Cancerland." Each work is followed by thought questions such as "How do the opening paragraphs set the tone for the story?" and "Can you point to some sections of narration that are convincing because of their specificity?" There are also dozens of exercises sprinkled throughout the book. For example, the student should pretend that she is a camera and record everything that she sees in a place rich with visual stimulation.

"Reading Like a Writer" by Francine Prose is another excellent work of this type; in fact, LaPlante quotes Prose and even uses the phrase "Reading as a Writer" repeatedly. "The Making of a Story" is well organized into fourteen carefully constructed chapters. There is a useful table of contents, a glossary of literary terms, a bibliography, a list of stories, and a thorough index. This guide cannot be absorbed in one sitting. It should be savored slowly and kept as a ready reference book. Used judiciously, it can serve as a source of inspiration to help writers bring out the best in themselves.

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the one book you MUST buy on writing fiction/nonfiction!, July 30, 2007

By 

Henry Klauke (Winnetka, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Making of a Story: A Norton Guide to Writing Fiction and Nonfiction (Hardcover)

Buy this book!! I have always wanted to write fiction, but didn't know where to start. A professor at a local University raved about this book so I purchased it immediately. It has literally changed the way I look at writing and has provided me with the structure and knowledge I needed to write. The most amazing part is it teaches you in a way that is easily understood and applicable, something that other similar books I have read have not been able to accomplish. This is a book that you will buy and keep near to you because you will reference it constantly. I am going to purchase a dozen more and give them to my daughters in college, as well as the sons and daughters of my friends and family. Great job Ms. La Plante!!!