Customer Reviews

A Writer's Guide to Fiction (Writer's Compass)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I used Elizabeth Lyons' book, The Sell-your-Novel Toolkit, after I'd finished my first novel. Her samples of query letters and synopses helped me sell my first (and second) novels. Now I recommend it to students when I teach fiction writing. Her new book, A Writer's Guide to Fiction, is loaded with practical tips and strategies for new writers. It takes the mystery out of writing fiction, and has lots of good examples, lists and suggestions for would-be short story novelists and short story writers. I'll recommend this one as well.

I actually started with Lyon's "Sell Your Novel Tool Kit", but quickly realized I had not reached that point with my novel yet. So I backtracked and bought this book, which I have found to be incredibly helpful. Her approach is systematic and rational, while still allowing for the creative and inspired. This is by far the best of all the books I've read on writing fiction, especially novels, and it has in some ways completely changed my approach. She manages to be supportive and inspiring without getting sappy, and her experience as an editor makes her insights especially penetrating and pertinent.

Though Ms. Lyon generously recommends other books on fiction techniques within the text of her own, this title is the one absolute must-have for serious novelists. Its companion title on selling a novel is likewise highly recommended and required.

Thank you, Elizabeth Lyon, for your invaluable guidance!

I am currently working on my third novel, and I picked up this book to learn more about the craft of writing and how to make my writing better. In reading this, I realized just how much I didn't know! Lyon offers so much wisdom in this book, from developing characters to creating plots and scene development, to marketing, and incentives to keep writing even when the road is hard. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is serious about writing fiction and wants to improve his or her writing.

For the serious, advanced fiction writer, this book is the best thing I've found on the market. I went to sleep reading Elizabeth Lyon's Guide to Fiction and woke up with a new beginning for my novel in progress. I couldn't more highly recommend a guidebook for the serious writer.

I highly recommend this book to both beginners and published writers. A Writer's Guide to Fiction is well organized and gives a clear direction of where to go from here, where ever you find yourself in the journey of becoming a writer. Well worth the read.

By far the best book for unpublished writers to achieve their goal in the business.
Robbert Snijders

Lyon's book is thoroughly thought out, well organized, and touches all the important topics for writers and "would-be" writers.

...a great book, i learned alot about writing for fiction, its really easy to get and the explaination is very clear, i highly recommend it!!