Customer Reviews

What's Your Story?: A Young Person's Guide to Writing Fiction

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Marion Dane Bauer's advice about fiction writing is orgainized in a way that's entertaining and easy to follow. Some of the points were a little painful at first, since I'd been doing just the wrong thing, but now that I've "seen the light" I like my own writing better.

The book is directed at young writers, with examples from children's books, but it's helpful for anyone, writing any kind of fiction.

Marion Dane Bauer's book has been a tremendous help in my understanding good writing, and improving my own writing. Even after publishing three picture books and a novel for middle grade writers, I still like to reread her specific techniques and instructions on writing craft skills. If you are interested in any aspect of writing, you would certainly benefit from the information presented in this easy-to-use guide for authors.

Very good and informative, until the last chapter (getting published). It is so discouraging to think all the way when you are reading it "I can write, and maybe get a book published!" and then get put down. My personal view is that that chapter should be left out. But the other chapters are very good for a child grades 4-7.

I bought this for my 16 year old daughter who likes to write, not read. She actually read it! She said it was a great read, very informative.

I purchased this book for a 13 year old writer and was very disappointed. While the book may be useful for writers several years younger than her, much of what was covered in its pages is taught in late grade school and early middle school classrooms. Chapters that do hold potential--such as the one on revising--still fall short of what they could provide (particularly if your writer already revises and has others review his or her work). If you are at the point of trying to find guides and writing resources for a budding young writer, the child is probably already beyond most of what this book has to offer. If you are looking for an introduction to the very basics of dilogue, points of view, rising action, and character, this book is probably a good buy.

This is a good book to give you some basics and background information to help you get started on writing your book. I recommend it.

What's Your Story by Marion Bauer was written in 1992 and I liked it, thus proving that older guides can have voice and depth. Here's where perhaps I need to take a step back to recognize that those readers who prefer just the facts may find Bauer's personal examples intrusive. Moreover, those readers who seek out abridged books may find themselves annoyed by Bauer's conversational tone, which is broken up only with subheads and only every few pages. However, I like that she uses a light tone and spent a page defining story: "Let's try this definition. A story, any story, is about someone struggling...." In this same section, Bauer goes on to explain that her definition fits both short and long stories with the difference between stories lying in their complexity and of course length. I felt as if we were chatting, rather than her standing at a podium and giving me a lecture. How fun too that before she even got into the elements of writing, I'd grabbed a pencil and paper to write down all the ideas that were popping into my head from her serious and silly examples. I appreciated that while Bauer does talk about a formula for plot, she also elaborates to explain the reasons for each step and to offer ways to get unstuck at each step; she recognizes that writing is an art. When Bauer talks characters, she focuses on how to create interesting ones and even encouraged contradictions: "I am uncomfortable at big parties. Still, I can give a speech to a thousand people without feeling particularly nervous.... Your characters, especially your main character, need some element of contradiction built in too." This proved more useful information to me than being told all the types of characters (protagonist, antagonist, etc.) that might appear in my story. Basically, I liked everything about this guide including the tips in the last few chapters on how to revise, accept criticism, and to polish for publication.

Often the best way to get a quick overview on a nonfiction subject is to read a few books on that subject written for the middle grades audience. These books usually provide the basic information in an easy-to-grasp manner. "What's Your Story?" is no exception. It provides a quick and easy-to-grasp guide on how to write fiction. The chapters cover getting a story plan, choosing the best idea, developing characters, focusing your story, developing the plot, choosing point of view, dialogue, and tension. The advice in each chapter is so good and so well explained that, in addition to recommending this book for teens, I also recommend it for adults who want to write fiction. You can help yourself greatly by reading this book and putting the advice into practice.

so this book was helpful. The author does sound "pessimistic" that you may not be published, but I think she's just being realistic. It doesn't mean you're a bad writer (sometimes), but that your story isn't the one they are looking for. If you don't succeed in finishing a story, don't blame the book. It's you.

I think it's a helpful book and it's great for beginners.