44 of 44 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An outstanding help for all writers, April 17, 2003
This review is from: Novelist's Essential Guide to Crafting Scenes (Paperback)
It is difficult to imagine a more helpful and concise book for writers than Obstfeld's "The Novelist's Essential Guide to Crafting Scenes". As part of a series from Writers's Digest, this book covers the critical component of any novel: writing encounters, chapters, and scenes that have the ability to grip the reader and keep them turning pages.
Though the book is trade paper sized and only 211 pages, it is simply jammed with helpful ideas. Each chapter covers an essential aspect of writing scenes expertly. There is information on:
* Beginning a Scene
* Length
* Point of View
* Setting
* Ending a Scene
* Character, Plot, & Theme Development
* Writing the Payoff
* Character Meetings
* Finales
* Structure
* Revising
Plus there are chapters that discuss how to write genre-specific scenes (sci-fi, romance, etc.) that are also compelling.
A typical chapter within the book starts with quotes from others on the art of writing. Obstfeld then lays out general concepts and cites examples from novels and movies that support his chapter topic. Excerpts from several award-winning novels raises the quality of the book as it lets beginning writers see how the "pros" do it. Some chapters include workbook-like assignments to help readers flesh out their scenes.
While all the chapters are developed well, the one covering character, plot, and theme development is particularly enlightening. The author elects to write an encounter scene with an emphasis on each aspect. It is amazing to see how a scene can change as it is written to the characters rather than plot and vice versa.
Obstfeld has taught writing professionally in addition to having published more than two dozen novels and it shows in his style. He can quickly and directly address a topic and elucidate it easily. As a result, writers of all varieties and levels of talent can benefit from "Crafting Scenes".
Highly recommended to all writers and truly worthy of a five star rating.
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22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Writing brilliance in 224 pages or less., August 10, 2000
This review is from: Novelist's Essential Guide to Crafting Scenes (Paperback)
After struggling with my own writing endeavours for two years now, I've found a refreshing guide to the world of fiction. The sections in the book are clearly listed, which enables me to find examples quickly for the problems that I'm experiencing in the moment. The examples are clearly articlulated and address almost all of my writing porblems and short-comings (and I hear there are a lot!) This book's largest contribution to my writing is it's motivational quality. Along with all of the examples and introductions to new techniques, I've found the student references a source for insparation, and in a world where insparation doesn't fall through the ceiling, I'll take it where ever I can get it. And for me, these pages are plentiful. This is a soid buy, the kind that will keep you up late scratching yourself in front of a blank screen until it's fills.
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Actual Techniques You Can Use, July 22, 2001
This review is from: Novelist's Essential Guide to Crafting Scenes (Paperback)
If you want to move beyond books that merely encourage you but don't provide actual tools, then I recommend this book. If you merely want to be cheered from the sidelines, go elsewhere - but this book is excellent, very insightful, extremely useful. Well worth the money.
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