Beginnings, Middles and Ends (Elements of Fiction Writing) (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

By demonstrating effective solutions for potential problems at each stage of story writing, Nancy Kress helps novice authors write stories with a roaring start and a grand finale. She also helps them hook the editor in the first three paragraphs, make and keep a story's "implicit promise", build drama and credibility by controlling prose, and many other techniques.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 149 pages
• Publisher: Writers Digest Books; 1st edition (March 15, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898795508
• ISBN-13: 978-0898795509
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #902,163 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but strangely organized, December 17, 2004

By	Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This book is part of the Elements of Fiction Writing series. The purpose of the book is to help you with the actual writing of your story. But, how helpful is it? Well, it's rather hard to say.

In fact, this book is a goldmine of helpful information on writing fiction. The biggest problem with the book, though, is its organization. The sections on planning and designing your story actually come in the middle of the book, under "The Middle." The author assumes that you have a story in your head, and you wish to start writing it immediately. After you have crafted the beginning of the story, then you will realize that you need to rethink your story, and will then wish to actually plan the story out. This is not the way I think, so I found the approach confusing and unhelpful.

But, that said, if you are willing to read the whole book with an open mind, collecting information as you go along, and then read it again so that everything starts to fall into place, then you will be richly rewarded for having read this book. Don't get me wrong, if you write the way this author does, you will no doubt find this to be an excellent book. It's just that I don't, and I didn't.

So, overall I give this book a rather guarded recommendation.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A recommended treatise on the art of writing fiction, April 22, 2007

By	Drake-by-the-Lake "movie critic" (State of Euphoria) - See all my reviews

There are plenty of books offering advice to fiction writers out there. I searched extensively for the top three, basing my selection on the following criteria:

1. Publish date > 1990. America of the 1950s is different from America of the 2000s. What readers want to read is different. You want the current dope. The newer, the better, the more relevant, in general.

2. Recommendations from other writers. If no one cares enough to recommend a book, why bother?

3. The writer offering advice should not be a talented freak, with literary genius, but no knack for teaching or relating to fellow mortals. The writer must come across as likable. Teaching calls on different skill sets than writing. Not every writer is cut out to be a teacher. How do you know who's likable and who's not? Google them, for one. Check their wikipedia entry, if any. Examine other published works.

"Becoming Your Own Critique Partner," by Walters & Toombs, is packed with advice, examples, and information, clearly and concisely explained. I recommend this along with Stephen King's "On Writing" and Nancy Kress's "Beginnings, Middles, and Ends." These books aren't just for writers. A reader can become a more educated reader, a more knowledgeable critic, better able to explain his preferences.

King's book, while immensely enjoyable and, to date, my favorite work by him, when it came to actual advice was rather thin. Also, his advice had a cranky tone, owing possibly to his injuries sustained prior to writing it. His book succeeds at being entertaining, but is not especially elucidating. He prefers to go for the punchline (which more often than not connects) rather than reinforce points he considers obvious. His life in itself is interesting and enlightening, however, and he has wisdom to impart of a higher level than technical mechanics. His stories about his life absolutely must not be missed. Recommended.

Kress's book was excellent, but tends to focus on the big picture (namely, as her title says, "beginnings, middles, and ends"). She is mainly concerned with structure, plot, and scenes. Her examples are rather good. Recommended.

"Becoming Your Own Critique Partner" delves deeply into the gory details. You want the gory details. The little things that mean a lot. Prose style. Not using adverbs, of course (all three books expound upon this cardinal rule), but much more. I found a better explanation of POV (Point of View) in this book than in either Kress's or King's. In fact, every lesson was explained better and more clearly here. This book also has more beef. The others are more on the thin side in regards to advice. Kress's and King's books can serve as needed reinforcements. If you have a team of teachers, that's usually better than just one. My plan is to read each of the three books several times.

5.0 out of 5 stars good for putting your writing into perspective as well as a great homeschool book., July 8, 2009

By	Bridget A. Stastny "stastnymom" (spokane, wa usa) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Thi book is great for people who want to write a story. It puts the book into areas that help you write your story. As well as, exercises to help you write your story also. I am using this book to help my daughter to write a novel. I have bought other books in this series and it has exercises at the end of each chapter to reinforce what they learned in that chapter. Great learning tool.