Schaum's Quick Guide to Writing Great Short Stories (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This guide to writing compelling, memorable short stories gives you all the essentials without wasted words. It tells you how and where to get ideas, how to establish and sustain excitement, how to create live, colorful characters, and how to plot, develop and bring home your story. It even includes exercises to help you perfect your story-telling skills. Full of tips and techniques that work, it makes an indispensable, reliable collaborator. You'll find it ideal whether you're studying alone or supplementing a creative or fiction writing course, conference or workshop.

From the Back Cover

Great short stories the Schaum's way. Write the kinds of stories that keep readers glued to the page from start to finish. Quickly and simply, this concise guide gives you clear explanations, proven tips and techniques--plus dozens of examples from well-known authors--that show you how to: come up with dynamic ideas; create living, colorful characters; develop a unique plot. This simulating guide will help you to start confidently, write freely, finish strongly, and make the most of your talent. Look to Schaum's Quick Guides for: step-by-step guidance to help you move quickly through the essentials; do's and don'ts for avoiding common errors; clear explanations and practical how-to's; checklists and exercises for fast skill-building.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (October 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0070390770
• ISBN-13: 978-0070390775
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #58,555 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

65 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a gem, January 22, 2004

By	W. J. Cornelius (Kansas City, Mo United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Over the past few months I have collected and read many books on creative writing with a slant towards the art and technique of fiction. All the while I write and read everyday improving my writing and improving my understanding. I can certainly recommend many books that I have recently read and studied and I must say that this book has a welcome place in my library. All of the books on fiction that I have are highly geared toward the novel. I had been struggling to write just one short story with the knowledge and experience imparted from other books. Things just didn't fit. I bought this book with three others not expecting anything special. I started with the book and a page and a half of short story. By the time I finished reading the first chapter, everything was so clear that I put the book down, and, with surprising success, finished my short story. It only took a matter of hours. I am a page and a half into another story told entirely from the omniscient point of view. I would also like to say that many of the books I have include a pre-amble or first section on the struggle of writing well. I have found many of these depressing even when I am shining with hope. The first chapter of this book approaches the subject of writers struggle with interspersed anecdotes of hope and quotes about the struggle and joy of writing from famous writers. If you buy this book for only one reason, let it be the first chapter. It is truly original. The rest of the book goes on to talk about many of the common elements in general creative writing that can be found in any collection. This book freed my style and showed me that I can use un-common technique to make an engaging story of less than 5,000 words.

If this is your first book you also want "Self-Editing For Writers of Fiction", and Sol Steins, "Stein on Writing".

Good luck with your endeavors.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Quick Reference Guide, March 3, 2006

By	J. E. Gibbons "One Man's Opinion" (Framingham, MA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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Schaum's guide is a good quick reference guide in the same sense a good gourmet cookbook may serve as a quick reference guide for getting a creative meal started. It is helpful in recalling key incredients and in just what portions and in what order they should be presented but as far as a guide to inspire, I must report this guide is NOT! Sadly, what is needed is a chapter entitled, "Ideas!!! And how to put form to them."
I like the book and it is a good quick reference guide and it is well worth the money. In many ways it's format is just right and it can be helpful just don't expect it to prepare you to be the next Hemmingway!

12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good but not specific to short stories, April 14, 2006

By	still a fan (los angeles) - See all my reviews

I wanted a book to show me the difference in technique between a short story and novel length. This book didn't help me. If you want an overall view of how to write, this book is simple and arranged well, but I'm not sure why the title empahsis is on short story.