This booklet offers advice to writers about point of view. It defines POV as a “position” from which something is considered or evaluated (p.6). The author eventually explains that this “position” is not a spatial location (e.g., a camera placement … Continue reading
Instruction With a Light Tone Dufresne, John. (2003). The Lie That Tells a Truth: A Guide to Writing Fiction. New York: W.W. Norton. I met the author at a writing conference and decided to buy his book. It covers the … Continue reading
Revelatory Jauss, David (2011). On Writing Fiction: Rethinking Conventional Wisdom About the Craft. Cincinatti, OH: Writers Digest Books. This is a most engaging and helpful “How-to-do-it” book for experienced writers. Its seven essays are thought-provoking and clarifying, well-written and insightful, … Continue reading
Advice for the Experienced Writer Long, Priscilla (2010). The Writer’s Portable Mentor: A Guide to Art, Craft, and the Writing Life. Seattle, WA: Wallingford Press, 349 pp. My shelves are heavy with how-to-write books, some helpful, some inspirational, most inert. … Continue reading
How to Surprise A Reader Boswell, Robert (2008). The Half Known World. Mpls, MN: Gray Wolf Press Robert Boswell presents 9 personal essays exploring different aspects of the craft of writing fiction, all addressing the idea that you should be … Continue reading
Meditations on the Craft of Writing Baxter, Charles, & Turchi, Peter (Eds.) (2001). Bringing the Devil to his Knees: The Craft of Fiction and the Writing Life. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 258 pp. This collection of 19 … Continue reading
How-to for Beginners Frey, James N. (1987). How to Write a Damn Good Novel. New York: St. Martin’s Press.I’m cautious about any how-to book that bills itself as “no-nonsense,” implying that comparable books are full of nonsense. In fact this … Continue reading