How to Write Best Selling Fiction (Hardcover)

~ Dean R. Koontz (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 309 pages
• Publisher: Writers Digest Books; 1st edition (September 1981)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 089879045X
• ISBN-13: 978-0898790450
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #178,963 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars PACKED WITH USEFUL INFORMATION, June 19, 2000

By	"justicewriter" (READ MY NOVEL) - See all my reviews

I like the premise that Koontz starts with here: that your goal as a writer should be to have as many people as possible read your book. That is my goal as a writer, and I found the book incredibly helpful and insightful. Obviously, Koontz knows what he's talking about, with millions of books in print.

This is a very practical guide: long on examples and practical lists and short on voodoo and magic. Koontz breaks writing down into understandable pieces, whereas some writing books I've read spend far too much time on touchy-feely things that are hard to understand or emulate.

There is much practical advice here, not only in the writing of best-sellers, but also in the business of books, dealing with contracts and agents, etc. There's even a reading list of books and authors that will inspire the aspiring novelist.

My one complaint is that, even in the 20 years since this was written, the publishing industry has changed dramatically. I would LOVE to see Koontz update this tome with a 21st century edition, addressing some of the changes he's seen in the course of his career. I'd also like to see an updated reading list...I wonder which authors Koontz would praise now?

An excellent resource for writers, even if you have to pay quite a bit for it!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars required reading for writers, December 7, 2002

By	David Group (Buffalo, NY) - See all my reviews

This is the Bible for anyone who wants to write good commercial fiction. His no-b.s. approach to writing is refreshing in an area filled with mediocre books. This book may be expensive and hard to find (it should be updated, or at least brought back in print), but is well worth the effort in tracking it down, as much of what he says is still valid.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book about writing, before he was famous, July 13, 1999

By A Customer

Dean Koontz, as an act of generosity, wrote a book about how to write books which is enjoyable and insightful whether you want to write books or not. Even then, he could have made a lot more money writing fiction than by writing this book, but he wanted to share some excellent and interesting ideas.