Goal, Motivation and Conflict: The Building Blocks of Good Fiction (Hardcover)

~ Debra Dixon (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 164 pages
• Publisher: Gryphon Books for Writers (January 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0965437108
• ISBN-13: 978-0965437103
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #569,806 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A practical blueprint for writing effective fiction, July 15, 2003

By	"david-coffey" (Georgetown, KY United States) - See all my reviews

Beginning novel writers often need a roadmap to get from chapter one to The End. *Goal, Motivation and Conflict* by Debra Dixon is a practical and insightful manual for writing effective, cogent fiction. She takes you step by step through the writing process using her GMC method. She explains in detail how to create believable characters and events, how to sustain your narrative through multiple plot twists, and how to tie it all up in the end leaving the reader begging for more. Best of all she uses characters and plots from movies such as *The Client*, *The Wizard of Oz*, and *Casablanca.* This book gives you the tools necessary for crafting believable fiction. If that novel you're writing has disintegrated into nothing more than an unruly collection of word clusters, this book is for you. If you haven't started writing your novel yet, this book will save you from pulling your hair out by the roots.
PS. *Goal, Motivation and Conflict* can always be obtained from the publisher, Gryphon Press.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book For Writers, January 29, 2006

By	Patricia Lewin "Author" (Outside Dallas) - See all my reviews

This is the only book I know of that deals exclusively with Goals, Motivation and Conflict; three of the most essential elements to writing good fiction. The book is excellent. Ms. Dixon understands what makes a story memorable and she presents her knowledge in a clear, understandable format.

Patricia Lewin, Author of BLIND RUN, OUT OF REACH & OUT OF TIME

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Helpful Guide to Creating Compelling Plots and Characters, December 11, 2008

By	musicmanblue1975 (California) - See all my reviews

This book, while small, is jam-packed with excellent advice and clear examples. I came away from this book with lots of good ideas for making my characters more compelling and believable, and using their motivations to effectively drive the plot. The author's advice to thoroughly craft appropriate goals and motivations for your protagonists and then put them into direct conflict with the goals and motivations of your villains might seem like an exercise in the stating the obvious, but it's actually surprisingly insightful.

I saw another reviewer bemoan the price of this book... I have to admit, if I'd paid $80 for such a small book, I probably would have been disappointed too. Fortunately, I was able to find it at my local library. It's definitely worth a read for anyone who's serious about bringing their characters to life.