Rules of Thumb: 71 Authors Reveal Their Fiction Writing Fixations [Hardcover]

Michael Martone (Author), Susan Neville (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1582973911 | ISBN-13: 978-1582973913 | Publication Date: February 25, 2006 | Edition: First Edition

Whether it's the simplest of prohibitions (don't use too many adjectives), or a cherished writing maxim (show, don't tell), all writers have a rule of thumb that guides their work. In this book, more than 70 contemporary writers share their own insight and revelations, offering insider tips and advice. Writers include:

Jiro Adachi


Steve Almond


John Barth


Steven Barthelme


Janet Burroway


Robert Olen Butler


Lydia Davis


Stephen Dixon


Molly Giles


Robin Hemley


Brian Kiteley


Bret Lott


Paul Maliszewski


Erin McGraw


Pablo Medina


Ander Monson


Rick Moody


Stewart O'Nan


Gina Ochsner


Thisbe Nissen


Scott Russell Sanders


Barb Shoup


Joan Silber


Joseph Skibell


Melanie Rae Thom


Steve Tomasula


Jane Yolen

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Neophyte scribblers should eat well (broccoli is a recommended brain food), avoid writing dream sequences, establish writing routines, write short chapters whenever possible and, above all else, "be wary of rules of thumb," because too many "can make a chap all thumbs." These advice snippets come from established writers and are collected in this go-to resource for blocked, procrastinating or otherwise distracted would-be writers in need of a quasi-mentoring. The counsel runs the gamut and can be contradictory-Molly Giles's contribution, for instance, is a list of incongruous "tips, tricks, tics, and tools" provided to her by her writer pals, and John Barth cautions against adhering to rules of thumb-but the ground covered is wide enough and the means varied enough that most young writers (many of the contributors teach at university writing workshops) will have no trouble finding helpful craft niblets (use "such" as little as possible; crying is okay, but do not write the word "tear") or a helpful tic to adopt.
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About the Author

Michael Martone is the author of six books and a winner of the AWP Award for Creative Nonfiction. He directs he the MFA Program in Creative Writing at the University of Alabama. Susan Neville is the author of four books, and teaches at Butler University.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Writers Digest Books; First Edition edition (February 25, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582973911
• ISBN-13: 978-1582973913
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,666,339 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quality!, May 21, 2006

By 

Amy P. (Livonia, MI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rules of Thumb: 71 Authors Reveal Their Fiction Writing Fixations (Hardcover)

I love this book, which I happened upon at Barnes & Noble. The feel and aesthetics drew me to it, and the font and layout won me over. Like so many of these types of books for and by writers, I figured there was a likelihood that much of the writing inside would be of dubious quality or real merit, and contributed by the workshop people that give that stereotype its oomph.

Instead, 98% of the writings are intelligent, interesting, and with unique voice. And there are a handful--maybe 9 or 10--that connect personally to me in a way of such value that I sort of hugged the book in recognition and gratefulness.

I love this book and find it unique in its genre, standing head and shoulders above most others in quality, merit, intelligence, and humor.

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars OK, but not for reading up on specifics on the craft, April 30, 2006

By 

Angela Wilson "I love books & DVDs!" (Midwest) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rules of Thumb: 71 Authors Reveal Their Fiction Writing Fixations (Hardcover)

Rules of Thumb has a neat layout and odd size that makes it a great coffeetable book. Unfortunately, that's not what I was looking for.
This is not a book for specifics on the craft. The 73 notations by published authors in this book are everything serious writers will hear at writing meetings, conferences and critique groups. They are, in some cases, inspirational, but don't offer the specifics new writers need for structure and development.
This might work as a nice, general gift if you have a friend who is a writer and you don't know which books on structure they might like. If you are a serious writer, I recommend spending cash first on Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell. It's much more specific and incredibly witty.

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely Little Book, June 29, 2006

By 

reader "reader" (washintgon state) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rules of Thumb: 71 Authors Reveal Their Fiction Writing Fixations (Hardcover)

I'm a little disturbed by the previous post. As a writer, I find it absurd that I must be a drunk, wracked with insecurities, or tortured by my religious quest in order to write affecting fiction. This is an old ideal perpetuated by people who romanticize the writing life, most of whom have never lived it. The point of the book is to offer small meditations on writing and the ACT of writing. I found most of them to be insightful and inspiring. There are plenty of books on how writers abuse and torture themselves. Trust me--plenty of 16 year-old aspiring writers read them and then think that is how they must live in order to write "true" fiction. It's ok to be average (not that I think most of the contributers are) and a writer. And just because you are average, doesn't mean you will write average fiction. It's a beautiful book. Buy it.