The Modern Library Writer's Workshop: A Guide to the Craft of Fiction (Modern Library Paperbacks) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "The only way to begin is to begin, and begin right now..." (more)
Key Phrases: middle draft, middle style, fate matters, Stephen King, The Modern Library Writer, Henry James (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

There's no shortage of writing guides available, but Koch's is especially valuable as it collects the comments and thoughts of such writers as Anthony Trollope, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Stephen King, in addition to his own sage advice. Koch, who taught at Columbia University's writing program, divides his book into the stages of the writing process. "Begin right now," he urges his readers. He goes over the basics, such as the importance of reading, the difficulty of finding time to write, and the importance of plot, with the added bonus of backing quotes from writers who have been around the block and found success. Learning that Toni Morrison, too, had to balance work and writing, or that Ray Bradbury writes six or seven drafts of each of his stories, is bound to buoy struggling writers. One thing he avoids is talking about the difficulties of a writer's life--a student sagely advised him to leave that to everyone else. Koch's tone is both encouraging and forthright, and his accessible, friendly guide will be essential for aspiring writers. Kristine Huntley
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Review

?An extraordinarily comprehensive and practical work by a master craftsman and a master analyst of the craft.? ?Madison Smartt Bell, author of All Souls? Rising and Anything Goes

?Stephen Koch was my teacher long ago. Now he is everyone?s teacher, indelibly. This is a book not just for the beginning writer but for every writer.? ?Martha McPhee, author of the National Book Award nominee Gorgeous Lies

?The Modern Library Writer?s Workshop is a treasure trove of wisdom, both immensely practical and philosophical, entertaining and thought-provoking. Koch takes us inside the writing process, and it is impossible not to emerge transformed.? ?Joanna Hershon, author of Swimming -- Review

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Modern Library; Modern Library Pbk. Ed edition (April 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375755586
• ISBN-13: 978-0375755583
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #222,325 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Writing Books I've Read, April 22, 2004

By	Kay Porterfield - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a professional writer for over 25 years, I've read many writing books. The Modern Library Writer's Workshop by Stephen Koch is one of the best I've read. Although the subtitle of the book is A Guide to the Craft of Fiction, this is a book every writer who is serious about writing needs to read. Story is a critical element of nonfiction as well as fiction. Unlike many how-to-write authors, Koch avoids taking the superficial, fill-in-the blank approach. His chapters include Beginnings, The Writing Life, Shaping the Story, Making Characters Live, Inventing Your Style, the Story of the Self, Working and Reworking, and Finishing. The pages of this book are filled with ideas that helped me to look at my writing with new insight. If you can afford only one writing book, this is the one to buy.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books on craft, November 3, 2005

By	David Isaak (Huntington Beach, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It's unfortunate that this book is saddled with such an ugly title. It is an excellent tour of all aspects of the craft, and covers the process of revision--and stages of drafts--in considerable depth.

Stephen Koch is a respected author and also an admired teacher (nearly 30 years of teaching creative writing at Columbia and Princeton), and a number of his students have gone on to brilliant literary careers.

Some people scoff at the idea--which Koch supports--that stories are discovered during the writing process. Writers from William Faulkner to Stephen King to Martin Amis (and I bet you've never seen those three in a sentence together before) all claim exactly that--stories are discovered, not planned out like the construction of a cabinet.

Don't pick up this book if you're looking for exercises or assignments. I've taken novel workshops from three accomplished novelists, and none of them focused on 'exercises or assignments.' We were told to go write our books, and then bring in chapters for critiques. In this sense, what Koch has written here is pretty close to how a workshop approaches the problem of building a novel.

For those who want them, there are plenty of books out there with connect-the-dots instructions, and tons of annoying (to me) exercises. The only one I can recommned is Brian Kiteley's "The 3 am Epiphany." I didn't do any of the exercises--I save my writing for writing--but they are clever and stimulating to read.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book of great usefulness, October 20, 2003

By	Robert B. Newman (Durham, NC USA) - See all my reviews

I am one of those people who has been writing things for years but never got serious enough to write an actual story. Well, recently I got serious enough. I checked out a stack of writing books from the library as well as pulled out what I already had at home. There was a lot of good advice in these books. But Koch's book described the inner problems I had that were preventing me from progressing, and did so consistenly. It's one of those books that you read and find yourself nodding in agreement as a grin spreads across your face. This book has done more for me in a shorter period of time than any other writing book I've read. My weaknesses were exposed as a common problem of would-be writers, not something wrong with me alone. Though there is no magic formula (and Koch offers none) to apply it's good to know that if you apply yourself diligently enough there is no reason why you can't write that great piece.