Customer Reviews

Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft (5th Edition)

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is THE book on fiction writing, and I've read plenty. I used it in the first fiction course I took, and used it on my own students, when I taught undergrads at U of Colorado. And I had them rate the various readings I assigned, and these came out on top.

It takes one key issue (character, plot, POV ...) at a time, spends a chapter on it, in very concrete terms, with lots of examples from classic and contemporary great works. It really unveils the magic behind great writing.

For inspiration and left-brain exercises, get Natalie Goldberg's "Writing Down the Bones." That's the best book for what it is. But that book is all about getting the writing going, making it happen; this is the book for UNDERSTANDING what's behind it, decoding why some characters are so fascinating, how the author made them so multi-faceted. It's the book that helps you understand how it works. It's the classic for that.

Every section teaches a critical skill, each essential for the mastery of novel writing. My copy is thumbworn from constant reference on how to apply specific techniques. If you are a beginning novelist and want to understand how to get started on the right foot, you must read this book.

This is the most thorough and intelligent fiction writing textbook on the market. I only wish it were less expensive, for it deserves to be read more widely. Each chapter is followed by brilliant short stories ranging from classics such as "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien and "The Use of Force" by William Carlos Williams to more recent works by young writers such as Sherman Alexie and Lan Samantha Chang. A must-read for any serious fiction writer.

I'm on the verge of selling my first mystery-suspense novel, and I bought Burroway's book with high expectations, having persued it from the library and concluded that it had a lot to say. I found that only about ten to fifteen percent of what the book covered about writing was new to me and helpful (though it does cover a lot and is a pretty good general text), but I still liked the book because of the examples and because I love reading about writing fiction even when it's discussing concepts I understand.

What really bothered me is Burroway's commentary on genre versus "literary" fiction, that one can learn to write genre fiction by writing literary fiction but will never learn anything useful about writing literary fiction by writing genre. This seems incredibly limitted, biased, and out of touch with the market to me since there are so many really fine, literary mystery and suspense novels and since I have learned SO MUCH about writing (and characterization, language, pacing, plot, themes, imagery etc.) by writing my suspense novel, which is no pat and formulaic thing. Burroway says that most college creative writing teachers don't want to work with writers of "genre," and as a writng teacher myself I just think that's so old-fashioned and stupid--have they not read Rendell, P.D James, Reginald Hill, Turow and so many others where the lines between literary and "genre" blur? How could those people get to be such marvelous writers with such rich characters and moving stories if one and all just thought that "genre" was bad and could not be literary too? I think a mystery is a wonderful kind of book to start out on to develop literary skills--it gives you the framework and conventions on which to hang your laguage use, characterization, and insights, and I have found that the same thematic and creative/personal issues can come out and be expressed plus you have a much better chance of being published, finding an audience and making some money.

Burroway also makes comments in her book that seem condescending and as if the text is just aimed at a college-student audience, which it actually is. For example, she says that you, the reader, might rather be out making love or hiking or this or that instead of doing these fiction exercises and reading about point of view. Au contraire! I read her book b/c I'm passionately interested in writing and want to know more about it more than anything, and I would think many, MANY other writers would feel the same, whether they're young college students or middle-aged people like myself who have always wanted to write. The power of story is something Burroway does not really do justice to, acting at one point like the need for a narrative is almost distasteful to many aspiring "literary" writers. This ivory-towerish snobism and a certain schoolmarm-ingratiating-herself-to-the-young quality put me off her book at times, but I liked it anyway. Just realize, Ms. Burroway, that people can work viably and respectably on craft in genre for YEARS and learn from it and even produce wonderful, literary books. Genre need not be crud, and teachers of fiction should not be such category-ists. I think books like SELF EDITING FOR FICTION WRITERS and HOW TO WRITE A DAMN GOOD NOVEL (written by editors or writers in the business) know this better and avoid making such arbitrary distinctions, foregoing the literary snobism in favor of giving pragmatic and professional advice.

If you buy only one writing book in your life, make it Janet Burroway's book. She offers the most sensible and insightful look into creating believable fiction that I've ever come across. I credit her with teaching me the extras that took me from unpublished writer to published author.

I can't even begin to discuss all the issues that this book covers. Burroway's chapters on characterization, metaphors and similes, plot development, and point-of-view are standouts. The writing exercises are for the most part instructive (especially if this book is used as a textbook), and are great for overcoming writer's block.

Burroway's emphasis is unequivocally on literary fiction, but her lessons can be applied to all genres. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is serious about writing fiction. For the hobbyist, you might want to find a how-to book that is not quite as comprehensive and thus less demanding.

An excellent tool for the craft! The text covers a variety of topics in fiction writing and includes story examples to demonstrate key concepts. The book is well organized, easily readable, and technically insightful. The chapters on structure and characterization were particularly helpful to me but each topic is thoroughly covered in concise language with meaningful examples. I feel like a better writer and a more alert reader. A must have for writers and literature aficionados.

This book discusses all conceivable aspects of writing fiction and teaching fiction workshops, from how to get your juices flowing to the hard knock facts of story form and structure. It is a very readable book, engaging and insightful, with some interesting and innovative ways of explaining how to teach and how to write fiction. A teacher using this book could assign her students to read a couple chapters and then, in class, talk about the suggested discussion questions which address the short stories within the chapters. A teacher could also require her students to choose one of the writing assignments at the end of that week's assigned reading and bring in a draft of the Burroway-inspired story the following week for discussion. Overall, this is a very helpful and encouraging book for teachers and their students.

Burroway's book "Writing Fiction" is a useful tool for the beginning writer. Inside, examples, exercises and questions for discussion abound. With so many tools, tricks and try-its, one hardly needs the narrative Burroway provides between stories.

Any writer knows (and if not, they soon learn) that good writing comes only one way: by simply doing it. Supplement this dedication with a strong practice of good reading (good fiction, good nonfiction, good whatever) and the writer has the only "magic bullet" in the business. Writing is work -- like any other job.

Burroway's book is a valuable resource for any aspiring writer, though more for the examples provided throughout and the exercises at the ends of each chapter than for any particular piece of advice she offers.

Seems like everyone gave this 5 *s, so I'm not certain what I can add other than this is simply the best book that any writer can own.

She covers all the basics, from character development, plot, point of view, theme, etc. Then uses excepts or short stories from well-known authors as specific examples that illustrate whatever point she is trying to make.

Tie all of that in with good, practical exercises at the end of each chapter and you'll quickly see (if you don't already know) that the craft of writing *can* be taught.

I found this to be a great step step guide for fiction writing and highly recommend it. The author is clear and to the point and uses many examples. I would also recommend Stephen King's On Writing; the Maui Conference compilation of present's writing guide; and Bob Mayer's Fiction Writer's Toolkit which goes from the original idea through getting published on to the insiders guide to the book business.