Book Description
The Only Book on the Market Expressly for Fiction Writers Looking to Publish Their Work *Features 1350 market listings exclusively for fiction writers *Includes a new section on Graphic Novel and Comic markets *Highlights genre opportunities for writers
For twenty-six years, 2007 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market has been the only resource of its kind for fiction writers. Perfect for anyone writing novels and stories--whether romance or literary, horror or graphic novels--this packed resource also features how-to articles on the craft of fiction and the business of getting published, as well as new interviews with Bret Lott, Judy Budnitz, Aimee Bender, Mark Childress, Sonny Brewer, and more.
Customer Reviews:
Just Google.......2007-10-01
This book takes people's money and uses up trees. Just use the Internet and you'll get a lot more information, and for free. People in the publishing industry--editors and agents--move around like gophers, popping up here and there on a regular basis. No book is going to be reliable, and a book made up of sloppily acquired information is going to be worse than no book at all, because you'll think it's right. Even the Internet sources can steer a writer to obsolete information, but at least you have numerous sources to draw from.
Good reference for fiction writers.......2007-08-19
If you're a fiction writer, you'll find all sorts of useful information in this book. Especially if you're relatively new to the scene and not an experienced insider. The first 150 pages consist of interviews and articles about writing, some of which were not of interest to me. But these pieces covered many topics and included materials for literary writers and genre writers too.
The Resources section at the back of the book included a highly useful glossary of genres, in case you're one of the many confused by the proliferation of sub-categories and markets in this area. Also, on page 544, there was a listing of corporate behemoths and the presses they own. (OK, this info changes frequently, but this will give you a place to start tracing who's really in charge.)
The listings of agents, lit magazines, genre markets, mass market magazines, workshops, prizes was comprehensive enough. (Of course, you'll want to go to their individual websites to check for recent staffing changes and detailed submission guidelines.) I was happy to see a section of online magazines too.
There are lots of lists and indexes sorted so that you can find information quickly. This book is well organized and easy to use.
If you ARE an insider with a long history and lots of literary contacts, you may not find this book as helpful; save your money and go to the websites. But for the rest, I'd recommend this book.
More Helpful Information.......2007-08-08
I checked this book out of my local library -- I've not used this particular edtion of these books put out by Writer's Digest. They aren't repetitive though. Each has a specific focus. I'm beginning to think I like these annuals as much for the insightful, encouraging and informative articles that they always contain, as for the listing information! I don't have a writer's group that I belong to, so reading these articles is uplifting. I enjoy reading the thoughts and insights of people for whom the writing life is of utmost importance. So these books are are a learning experience in many ways.
2007 Novel & Short Story Writers' Market.......2007-05-20
This book is just what the doctor ordered for this aspiring beginning writer. Having no idea where to submit, nor the in and outs of submission, this is proving to be an invaluable resource. I am grateful it exists!
Novel and Short Story Writing Markets.......2007-05-19
This book provides an invaluable service to writers in the fiction genre. It contains markets for those interested in writing a full length novel, as well as those who pen short stories. I find that it extremely helpful to narrow down markets to help the writer sort out which publisher is best suited for the manuscript at hand.
You will enjoy reading this book, and learning about the markets that are contained within it.
Woman Reclining
Average customer rating:
- good but not specific to short stories
- Good Quick Reference Guide
- This book is a gem
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Schaum's Quick Guide to Writing Great Short Stories
Margaret Lucke
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
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Similar Items:
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Creating Short Fiction: The Classic Guide to Writing Short Fiction
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Shaping the Story: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Short Fiction
-
A Short Story Writer's Companion
-
Writing in General and the Short Story in Particular
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The Art of the Short Story
ASIN: 0070390770 |
Book Description
This guide to writing compelling, memorable short stories gives you all the essentials without wasted words. It tells you how and where to get ideas, how to establish and sustain excitement, how to create live, colorful characters, and how to plot, develop and bring home your story. It even includes exercises to help you perfect your story-telling skills. Full of tips and techniques that work, it makes an indispensable, reliable collaborator. You'll find it ideal whether you're studying alone or supplementing a creative or fiction writing course, conference or workshop.
Customer Reviews:
good but not specific to short stories.......2006-04-15
I wanted a book to show me the difference in technique between a short story and novel length. This book didn't help me. If you want an overall view of how to write, this book is simple and arranged well, but I'm not sure why the title empahsis is on short story.
Good Quick Reference Guide.......2006-03-03
Schaum's guide is a good quick reference guide in the same sense a good gourmet cookbook may serve as a quick reference guide for getting a creative meal started. It is helpful in recalling key incredients and in just what portions and in what order they should be presented but as far as a guide to inspire, I must report this guide is NOT! Sadly, what is needed is a chapter entitled, "Ideas!!! And how to put form to them."
I like the book and it is a good quick reference guide and it is well worth the money. In many ways it's format is just right and it can be helpful just don't expect it to prepare you to be the next Hemmingway!
This book is a gem.......2004-01-23
Over the past few months I have collected and read many books on creative writing with a slant towards the art and technique of fiction. All the while I write and read everyday improving my writing and improving my understanding. I can certainly recommend many books that I have recently read and studied and I must say that this book has a welcome place in my library. All of the books on fiction that I have are highly geared toward the novel. I had been struggling to write just one short story with the knowledge and experience imparted from other books. Things just didn't fit. I bought this book with three others not expecting anything special. I started with the book and a page and a half of short story. By the time I finished reading the first chapter, everything was so clear that I put the book down, and, with surprising success, finished my short story. It only took a matter of hours. I am a page and a half into another story told entirely from the omniscient point of view. I would also like to say that many of the books I have include a pre-amble or first section on the struggle of writing well. I have found many of these depressing even when I am shining with hope. The first chapter of this book approaches the subject of writers struggle with interspersed anecdotes of hope and quotes about the struggle and joy of writing from famous writers. If you buy this book for only one reason, let it be the first chapter. It is truly original. The rest of the book goes on to talk about many of the common elements in general creative writing that can be found in any collection. This book freed my style and showed me that I can use un-common technique to make an engaging story of less than 5,000 words.
If this is your first book you also want "Self-Editing For Writers of Fiction", and Sol Steins, "Stein on Writing".
Good luck with your endeavors.
Amazon.com
"There are now not enough commercial magazines regularly publishing literary fiction to count on the fingers of a single hand," says Rust Hills. So why bother writing literary short stories, or books about doing so? Because, says Hills, a longtime fiction editor at Esquire, "what young writers want to write, or ought to want to write, is literature." In Writing in General and the Short Story in Particular, Hills examines "the essential techniques of fiction and how they function." The short story is a tricky form, with no margin for error: "The successful contemporary short story," says Hills, "will demonstrate a more harmonious relationship of all its aspects than will any other literary art form, excepting perhaps lyric poetry." Many of the fictional elements discussed in this book will not be new to most fiction writers. We know that stories must have beginnings, middles, and ends; we know about epiphany and suspense and stock characters. But Hills claims that much of how we look at fiction derives from drama theory and from the formulas of "slick fiction" (fiction that once served the purpose mindless television now serves). Learned but not pedantic, Hills addresses these elements strictly in terms of literary short fiction.
An interesting side note here is Hills's discussion of the shift in support for American writers. "It is no longer the book publishers and magazines," he says, "but rather the colleges and universities that ... provide the major financial support for the great majority of American writers today." Given that, we might find it odd that this book comes from a man best known for his magazine editing. But we shouldn't. "Teaching fiction writing and editing magazine fiction have ... the same rather odd ultimate purpose in common: trying to get someone else to produce a fine short story." One caveat emptor: our copy of this edition fell quite apart upon our first, gentle reading of it. --Jane Steinberg
Book Description
Here is a practical guide to writing short stories that explains all the essential techniques of fiction - from character and plot to flashback and foreshadowing - in a way that is both understandable and useful to the beginning writer. Long considered a classic in the field, WRITING IN GENERAL is the product of a lifetime of reflection by one of our best literary minds.
Customer Reviews:
Disparaging cynicism.......2007-04-22
Writing in General and the Short Story in Particular' is directed at writers rather than readers. Yet in the introduction, Hills says "Everyone seems to know that, even those thousands all across the country sitting in creative writing workshops right this minute, either being paid to do the impossible or paying to have it done to them." (P. Viii).
This sentence is typical of Rust's writing. It is riddled with long, meandering sentences, that often start with 'And' or 'But', have parenthesis in the middle, and are often incomplete. They choke the enthusiasm of the reader like indigestible food.
The book has nearly 60 paragraphs in its 200 pages. Short stucco and poorly linked, they irritate the readers eye like dust from a sand storm. The book's structure does not appear to reflect the structure or skills of writing. The content is often repetitious. If a 'How to.." book has value then it will become a reference for writers. For that it needs an index.
Everyone knows that if a writer has a good story to tell, then the reader will often forgive the writing to gain the story. Especially a reader seeking to learn. Hills does not have a story worth the effort. All that he has to say can be found in a number of excellent texts 'on writing' some like King's 'On writing' are also also entertaining. "Writing ....the Short Story in Particular' contains little that is of help for that particularly.
"Even then," writes Rust "it wouldn't be a short story. I don't know what it would be." (P.81). The disparaging sentiment of the introduction is a theme continued throughout the book. If the lesson of Rust's years of editing short stories is that creative writing cannot be taught, then what was the point in Rust putting pen to paper to writers?
just Jack
Best in field.......2007-01-03
Once read, twice read, an aspiring writer of short stories (or other) will not be needing another how-to book of its ilk.
Covers a lot in a slim volume.......2006-05-25
I think I've read all I need to know or want to know for now on writing the literary short story. I learnt a lot from this book and liked the way Hills talks straight about the high-flown stuff. I found that his commentary was based a little too much on Henry James--for, against, etc. And in one too many areas I was irritated by his saying one thing and saying that the contrary works, too.
The reading is sometimes arduous, but mostly it's worth reading this book and absorbing all the advice and good inputs that a writer may never receive otherwise.
How did this guy get a book deal?.......2004-03-24
Hey, if this guy can do it, you too can get published. That's about the only thing I learned from this book. This rambling, disjointed, poorly-organized guide on how to write is really no help at all.
Great little book.......2002-02-21
I like the way this guy gets right to the point. There's no "filler" in this book. He simply says what he wants to say and moves on to the next subject.
The stuff he says is extremely helpful. It is making me a better reader, as well as a better writer. As I read this book I began applying the subjects I read to my writing and noticed improvements in the style and focus of the work.
Amazon.com
Gather your writing utensils, set the timer to five minutes, and write a short short story. Do not think. Do not judge. Just write. You'll be amazed with what you come up with. The rest, says Roberta Allen, is merely a matter of rewriting and refining. There's something very appealing about the short short form (defined by critic Irving Howe as "a moment rendered in its wink of immediacy" and limited here to 1,000 words). As in poetry, every word and punctuation mark counts. Your characters' histories have to be delivered, if at all, with just a sliver of language. The form is elegant in the way a mathematical proof can be elegant--beautiful and economical--and the examples Allen uses, from the works of Anton Chekhov, Carolyn Forché, Mark Strand, and others, are sublime. (The examples from her students are less compelling, and one does tire of trying to keep her many students straight.)
The center section of the book comprises a nice selection of exercises to get you started. One involves writing stories from photographs; another has you choose one item from a list (such as "a broken promise," "something that was stolen," "a party," "something that hasn't happened yet," "a child," and "a secret") and write a story about it.
The third part of the book, in which Allen makes an argument for using her method to write a novel in five-minute bites, is shakier. Writing longer fiction generally requires some kind of flow that this method doesn't allow for. Using this method for that purpose would require that a lot of energy to be spent creating connective tissue. Even still, the five-minute method would be useful for tapping the unconscious, working through problem spots, and getting going in the morning. After all, doesn't that page look much more inviting once it has some words on it?
Customer Reviews:
Thanks: Let's Fill the World With Sh-t.......2007-09-09
The key word is 'easy'. A writer is BLOCKED because a writer's inner self has nothing REALLY to say and thus the block is a GOOD thing instructive and PAINFUL. The short-short fad has FLOODED the country with mediocre SH-T that is invariably FEY and notable for a terrible SAMENESS. Lit mags are drowning in the 'whimsies' of 'easy method' fiction writers and workshop poets.
The good is the enemy of the great. Some of these writers using such methods get VERY good which makes them the DEADLY enemies of greatness.
Building blocks for writers.......2004-04-26
The basic idea of "Fast Fiction: Creating Fiction in Five Minutes" is that you can really let go and write interesting stuff if you set a timer for five minutes, grab a writing prompt, and free-write for those five minutes. Okay, Ms. Allen doesn't call it free-writing; she explains it as though it's something new. However, she does have a rather new and interesting approach to the use of free-writing, and that has value.
She directly relates these exercises to the short short story form. She also sees the five-minute exercise as a stepping stone, or building block, when working on longer fiction. She presents a great deal of information on the use of these exercises in the creation of short stories, novels and novellas, in terms of both method and revision.
Unfortunately, the text of this book rambles, babbles, and repeats itself; don't read this book while you're sleepy or bored. The five-minute exercise method itself is quite fascinating, however. The ideas for working these exercises into longer pieces save this book from being a simple rehashing of free-writing and turn it into a collection of very interesting ideas.
She makes the point that when free-writing, you need to allow yourself to "make a mess." You can't be thinking of comma usage if you want to see what your unconscious mind has waiting for you. On the other hand, when discussing examples from her students' work, she describes "mistakes" they made as being ones of "carelessness." If she wants people who read her book to let go and write what comes into their heads, then it's a bad idea to indicate that making mistakes would be careless of them.
This isn't a perfect book, and you have to be willing to look past a few small issues, but the ideas are innovative and useful. If you're looking for a new way to jump-start your creativity, this book can be a lot of fun!
GOOD AT GETTING ANYONE IN THE MOOD TO WRITE.......2001-11-16
I read this book and totally loved it. There are so many writing exercises and it's so fun doing them. For example, one topic might be to write about a secret and you have only five minutes to write about it.
When I did the exercises I was so surprised by some of the stuff I wrote. The ideas just came in a flash for me. I found myself with so many ideas rushing through me that I had to slow down a little to actually get everything written down. Occasionally, I would read one of the topics and for a second I'd think something like, "Okay, I can't think of anything to write about an insect" and then the next second I found myself just writing for five minutes straight as the story rapidly unfolded in my mind. When the five minutes were up, I'd be left feeling stunned that I actually wrote a pretty decent story on a subject like the one above.
Although, I've always enjoyed writing, before I read this book I was starting to get a little stuck. I had trouble thinking of topics or finishing short stories. This book really made me want to start writing stories again. I haven't completely finished the book yet, but already it has really helped me out a lot. I undoubtedly reccomend this book to anyone reading this review.
GOOD AT GETTING ANYONE IN THE MOOD TO WRITE.......2001-11-16
I read this book and totally loved it. There are so many writing exercises and it's so fun doing them. For example, one topic might be to write about a secret and you have only five minutes to write about it.
When I did the exercises I was so surprised by some of the stuff I wrote. The ideas just came in a flash for me. I found myself with so many ideas rushing through me that I had to slow down a little to actually get everything written down. Occasionally, I would read one of the topics and for a second I'd think something like, "Okay, I can't think of anything to write about an insect" and then the next second I found myself just writing for five minutes straight as the story rapidly unfolded in my mind. When the five minutes were up, I'd be left feeling stunned that I actually wrote a pretty decent story on a subject like the one above.
Although, I've always enjoyed writing, before I read this book I was starting to get a little stuck. I had trouble thinking of topics or finishing short stories. This book really made me want to start writing stories again. I haven't completely finished the book yet, but already it has really helped me out a lot. I unquestionably reccomend this book to anyone reading this review.
Great book for any writer.......2001-08-17
I LOVED THIS BOOK. It was great. I've always enjoyed writing, but a few months ago I got writer's block. This book helped me to get started in short stories again. I highly recommend this book to anyone reading this review.
Book Description
Writing successful fiction is a balance between trusting one's own instincts and making the right conscious choices. In By Cunning & Craft, award-winning novelist and short-story writer Peter Selgin shows you how to combine the instinctive process of creation with sound technical ingenuity.
With precise instruction and examples from classic and best-selling works, this authoritative guide helps you master the ten essential fiction-writing elements: inspiration; character; point of view; structure and plot; theme; dialogue; description; scenes, summary, and flashback; voice and style; and revision.
Whether you're facing the blank pages of a first draft or trying to revise a completed manuscript, By Cunning & Craft provides you with the guidance you need to outfox common writing pitfalls and make sure your work isn't wanting in wit--or perfection.
Customer Reviews:
Good advice, if a bit pretentious.......2007-09-16
Peter Selgin has credentials. He is an accomplished writer, teacher, and editor to boot. His book, By Cunning & Craft offers much advise in the form of short essay-styled chapters to writers of all levels. There is no doubt that Selgin is well read, as he sites examples from many classics and contemporary works. Unfortunately, I found his approach to be a bit elitist, both in his prose and his review of work. Reading his book, I tended to be discouraged as a writer; it seemed he couldn't let his hair down and actually like anything.
On the other hand, he did offer some gems of advice. I particularly found the last few chapters on agents, query letters, theme, and revision particularly helpful. To sum it up, Selgin offers much professional quality advice, even if he toots his own whistle occasionally. I'm sure I have him all wrong personally; I'm sure he's an effective teacher and a standup gentleman.
Hope this helps, Craig Nybo, co-author of Total Human: The Complete Strength Training System
Sound advice, simply stated.......2007-09-12
I had the pleasure of attending a workshop hosted my Mr. Selgin some months ago and it was the best and most educational hour I've ever spent as far as the craft of writing is concerned. His teaching style was matter-of-fact and down to earth and entertaining and informative all at once. It's with that in mind that I bought By Cunning and Craft and I was not disappointed. Mr. Selgin's book joins Ray Bradbury's Zen and the Art of Writing and Stephen King's On Writing as the best books on the craft of writing I've read to date.
Mr. Selgin offers practical, easy to understand advice that I was able to put to use right away. Far from being a cut and dried instruction manual, By Cunning and Craft uses passages from work you've heard of and some you haven't but each example clearly illustrates his point. I also enjoyed his use of personal experience to drive home his points.
If you're a writer, novice or otherwise, then do yourself and your work a favor and read this book.
A Pleasure to Read and Study.......2007-08-06
Peter Selgin's BY CUNNING & CRAFT offers plenty for those interested in understanding fiction and how it is developed. The book is a pleasure to read, and it's beautifully bound. The cover and each chapter include a black-and-white illustration reminiscent of the old fairy tales.
The basis for the book (and its title) is summed up in the following excerpt from the introduction: ". . .if writing is an instinctive process, how can this or any book teach you how to write? Part of the answer is that instinct alone isn't enough. To produce a work of art, technique must also be brought to bear. When instinct and technique merge seamlessly, I call the result cunning. Cunning: skillful ingenuity in doing something."
By Cunning & Craft is organized with ten lessons, or chapters:
· People
· Point of View
· Structure and Plot
· Dialogue
· Description
· Scene, Summary, and Flashback
· Voice and Style
· Theme
· Revision
· Inspiration, Perspiration, Publication
The strongest chapters are those that deal with point of view, theme, voice, and style. For example, from the chapter on voice and style: "If style is a writer's personal aesthetic as reflected by her choice of themes and overall approach in presenting them, then voice is the particular tone adopted in telling a specific story."
But the chapters addressing plot and scene are disappointing. Fiction-writing modes were not adequately addressed. Maybe future editions of By Cunning & Craft will fill in some of the gaps.
Many of the examples offered throughout the text are of literary fiction and may fall flat for writers interested in other genres.
Although there are no exercises presented and no summaries at the end of the chapters, an index is provided for easy reference. Selgin also includes a bibliography of books on craft.
Ideally, a newly issued concept-to-publication text about how to write fiction should:
1. Adequately cover the basics of writing a novel
2. Discredit some of the misinformation about novel-writing that has been published in the past
3. Provide ground-breaking insight and guidance not already presented in the numerous how-to books that precede it
Although By Cunning & Craft offers valuable information on many of the subjects addressed, it falls short of achieving each of these benchmarks.
One of the keys to learning from how-to books is not to dwell too much on what is missing or misleading, but to focus on extracting whatever valuable information is there. Most how-to books offer nuggets of wisdom and technique that are well worth the effort of digging them out, and this book provides plenty. No doubt, readers and writer's of fiction will be studying and quoting from By Cunning & Craft for many years.
A realy delicious book .......2007-08-03
This is a delicious book about what I feel is the world's most exciting art form: writing fiction. In it, Peter Selgin not only gives you a very good grounding in the basics of working with fictional structures (like characters, setting, action, plot, and dialogue), but he also gives us a good approach to appreciating fiction itself. So the book reminds me of the work of the great food writer M. F. K. Fisher who wrote wisely and wittily about how food is savored and appreciated more than simply giving us a bunch of recipes. "The truth of the imagination doesn't lie," Selgin says. "It doesn't lie because it taps into the universal unconsciousness, the place where dreams and myths shared by all of us are born. It is no less reliable a source of truth than the deep instincts that prompt us to love and fear." This is one of the truest statements I've ever read in a book, and it shows the author's own genius, which is at play in this book, where he brings so much of himself to us in the form of a handbook about fiction. Perry Brass, author of Warlock, The Substance of God, and Carnal Sacraments.
Pure Gold.......2007-07-19
Peter Selgin has written a thoughtful and wisdom-filled book that fits perfectly into college-level creative writing workshops. Selgin's approach is modest; he manages somehow not to preach as he teaches. There is none of the high-minded obscurity so common in texts about writing; a smooth and continuous clarity pervades this book. The text is sprinkled with wonderful quotes that serve to enhance its simple and logical design. This is a book students will actually read.
Average customer rating:
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American Historical Fiction: An Annotated Guide to Novels for Adults and Young Adults
Lynda G. Adamson
Manufacturer: Oryx Press
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ASIN: 1573560677 |
Book Description
This publication will fill a gap in the bibliographic reference shelf by identifying historical novels for both adult and young adult readers. American Historical Fiction contains over 3,000 titles set in states and historical regions of the United States. Entries are organized by time period. The newest titles, as well as old favorites, are covered. The volume is indexed by author, title, genre, subject, and geographic setting.
Customer Reviews:
The Best of the Best.......2003-04-18
When Jack Bickham was a student at the University of Oklahoma, his teacher and mentor was Dwight Swain. Swain was one of the finest writing instructors of his generation -- right up there with John Gardner -- and many who were fortunate enough to study with him went on to publication.
Bickham went on not only to publish many science fiction and western stories and books but to teach writing, continuing in the fine tradition of his mentor. This is not the only book he has published with Writer's Digest Books, but it's one of the best. In fact, for novice and published pro alike, it's one of the finest books on writing extant.
Too many amateur writers reject the notion that stories and books are constructed. They expect to sit down and write for an hour -- an evening at the most -- and produce The Great American Short Story. But writing doesn't work that way and Bickham has done a fine job of organizing the muse and showing the writer just how to pull the most out of his creativity.
WRITING THE SHORT STORY is a program geared to lead the writer through inspiration to publication. Acknowledging at the beginning that published works today SEEM to lack form, he proceeds to show just how much form a story must have. By definition the short story has a "beginning, a middle and an end" and here Bickham provides a story roadmap practically guaranteed to produce a publishable finished work.
Writing isn't easy. At least it's not if you want to be published. The writer has to know him/herself and must know the markets and the competition equally well. All that learned, s/he must proceed to understand the structure of the story as well as the importance of characters and characterization. Then there's how setting and mood affect the story. And more...from the story map to marketing, and it's all here.
Follow the assignments in the book and you'll learn. I don't care how often you've been published or what you've published -- there are lessons to be learned here.
In all, I'd say this is one of the finest books on writing in print. Any writer who studies Dwight Swain's books and Jack Bickham's books and follows their directions with practice and persistence WILL be published.
What a Fantastic Book.......2003-03-15
I haven't finished going through this book, because each chapter opens a new world of writing to you and takes quite some time. The habits that he teaches may not work for you as a writer forever, but try them anyway, because they are informative and illustrative in a way I had never imagined.
This is the best book on short story writing I own. It really teaches, and it pulls from the inside. It makes you learn about yourself as much as your craft, and forces you to break out of ruts you may not even have realized you'd fallen into.
My short story writing improved ten-fold since reading this book and I'm not even finished yet. Bravo!
Excellent for starters.......2000-10-19
I have bought several books on cretive writing and I am sure this is the best so far, specially for starters. The author does not wander in philosophical discussions or sentimental nonsense, this book is filled with sound, solid advice to help you start your own literary process. It seems to be a little formulaic some times but it didn't bother me at all, because the idea is to give you a starting structure and help you develop your own modus operandi. A must have!!!
Too Much Structure can Kill?.......2000-07-02
I have to admit I've read quite a few books on writing fiction. Most of them try to take what is essentially an intuitive and difficult process and fire it down to clear, easy to follow instructions. Just like the most mediocre cook can work wonders with the right recipe, we hope that it can be that simple with fiction. Bickman's book has a lot to recommend it. Were it not for this book, I might not have discovered just what a great resource a box of notecards can be for the writer. If I hadn't followed his rather rigid course, I might not have a recipe box full of story ideas and characters for myself. But, at the same time, his methods, can be, in the end, a bit formulaic. It can ruin what is the hardest and most wonderful part of writing fiction: the process of discovery. Writers need structure, and Bickman's structure may work very well for some writers. If you are writing genre fiction, where the story is more conventional and peppered with your own personality, it might work for you. Otherwise -- I'm afraid -- you're still on your own. Still, I recommend any writer take a look at this system, snatch and borrow the pieces that work with your routine for getting the job done. Bickman is a good fellow to look to for advice on writing, but don't expect his methods to work 100% for you.
Wonderful book!.......2000-01-31
I'm a person who in the past has sold short stories to smaller publications. Having not written anything for a few years, I purchased this book to help me get back into the habit of writing. I was a little hesitant because I usually consider all the reviews before I make a decision on a buying a book, and there were none for this one. How thankful I am that I went ahead and purchased it anyway! I'm finding it to be a wonderful "writing course". I used to write a story by thinking of an idea and going from there--I found this method hard, and often I ended up with a shapeless mess. With the new method I'm learning from Bickham's book, I use notecards to plot and plan everything in logical detail BEFORE I start to write the story. It's much easier and it's fun! I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn to write a properly structured story--and actually enjoy doing it.
Book Description
An update of the classic guide to constructing insightful, well-crafted short stories.
Customer Reviews:
It's okay for new writers.......2007-07-18
I'd recommend this book, BUT only to short story writers who are considering the short story medium; that's to say, newer writers who are just starting to get a feel for the short story. This book is basic; and I'd expect nothing less of a "How To" book as thin as 135 pages. How to Write Short Stories reminds us that every good short story has a setting, a plot (with conflict), character development, and a theme. The book dives into dialogue and description, but the examples aren't that great. Is your story best told in the first or third person, or some variation? This book also opens the door to the strengths and weaknesses of perspective. It's not a bad book and it reads quickly, but it feels like a creative writing 101 class at a local community college. (Nothing against community colleges. I received my first two degrees from a community college.) The best part of this book is that it uses "The Birthmark" by Nathaniel Hawthorne as one of its samples. (However, is analyzing a classic without analyzing a modern written short story wise? That is like analyzing the movie, "Casablanca" as an approach to making movies today. The classics are great, but we need to look at the art form across time.)
One of the best little hand books.......2007-06-13
One of the best little hand books. Summs it up really. This book is concise and has little fluff and condenses what a dozen other How-Tos get to. True there are not so many stories and the explanations do not ruminate but get straight to the point, but its a great resource to have in hand with a book like Burroways Writing Fiction and Baechtel Shaping the Story. Its light and
best appreciated probably after you have waved through the other multi hundred page behemoths, but the behemoths will be the books you read and forget, this book you'll go back to repeatedly. I know I will.
Deconstructing Short Stories.......2003-12-20
Sorenson's coverage of the mechanics of short story writing is brief and focuses on the craft, rather than the art, of writing. While she does well by covering theme, character, plot, setting, point of view, dialogue, and description, she offers little more than three to five pages on each. Writers wanting more than the basics on each of these elements will be disappointed.
However, 'How To Write Short Stories' does have something to give both novice and accomplished writers. Distinguishing it from the many other works on short story writing is her inclusion of three entire short stories and a paragraph-by-paragraph analysis of each. Using this technique, Sorenson shows the reader how concepts like theme and point of view are actually integrated into stories that work. She also includes extracts of stories in the chapters on the elements of writing to add clarity and comprehension to her advice. This analysis made the book a worthwhile read.
Other features include a checklist to help the reader ensure they have omitted no essential ingredient from their story, a chapter of tips on breaking into print, a section on basic grammar that includes explanations on the different types of clauses and phrases, and a handy glossary of the writing concepts and jargon mentioned in the preceding chapters.
The Best of the Literary Short Story Books.......2002-10-16
Ms. Sorenson's book was the perfect accompanament to a short story course I took last January 2002 in Vancouver, British Columbia. The course taught how to write short stories that get accepted for literary magazines. It was taught by a young woman with a Master's Degree in Creative Writing. The course was excellent and when I found this book, I felt it was the course all over again. It covers so much of what we took, and, of course, I couldn't remember everything. This book, which I have already read once, is the perfect reference book for writing literary short stories. I have been recommending it to anyone interested in the short story writing form. I can't tell you how happy I was to have found it. I have read so many books on how to write short stories and they all tend to be the same, but this one takes your hand and walks you step by step through the process. I can't praise this book enough.
Keep up the good work, Ms. Sorenson.
Sandra Merz.
Good for novice/student writers.......2000-11-07
This is a great guide to have after you've read all those articles and books on short story writing. Not a deep, wordy book on the art of short story writing, it neatly summarizes most of the points you were supposed to get out of that other reading. Each section includes outlines/checklists for analyzing the various elements of a short story (character, plot, dialog, POV, etc...) and sample stories for illustration. (The last third of the book is a detailed study of Hawthorne's "The Birthmark," which I just skimmed.)
I would guess that advanced writers might find this book too elementary, but as a student, it's been an extremely useful guide that brought the short story writing process into focus.
Book Description
From Chinua Achebe and Sherwood Anderson to Edith Wharton and Virginia Woolf, The Art of the Short Story presents masterpieces of short fiction from 52 classic, contemporary and new voices. No other collection of short stories encompasses such a vast and enriching global and historical mix. This book's unique integration of biographical, literary and critical material gives readers a fascinating and intimate knowledge of literature and literary creativity.
To accompany the fiction, a unique feature called "Author's Perspectives" provides lively statements from each author, giving readers insight into the writing process while commenting on the works themselves. A section called "Critical Approaches to Literature" explains how to take an informed, critical stance when reading literature, and a glossary of literary terms further enhances the experience of reading these great works.
Customer Reviews:
The Art of the Short Story.......2007-10-04
Excellent book for reading top notch literature and improving knowledge about contemporary authors. I really enjoyed the collection of work assembled in this book.
The best study of short fiction available.......2007-08-07
I bought this book to use in a course on short fiction at MIT. I expected the usual history of literature book, but what this contains is a treasure of not only excellent, popular fiction, but essays by each of the authors that are as interesting as the stories. I don't think you can find a better collection to study the art of the short story anywhere.
Best of the Best, with Commentary.......2006-12-22
This book's title and subtitle are a good summary for a book I feel belongs every creative writing class and on the desk of every aspiring writer. And for only $18.95 USD for 926 pages, the book is a bargain. If you've recently purchased books for a college class, you will know what I mean, I've paid upwards of $100 for a book.
The Art of the Short Story is an anthology of the best stories from the best short story writers. See if you recognize a few of these names: Nathaniel Hawthorne, Stephen Crane, Edgar Allen Poe, Sherwood Anderson, Herman Melville, Jack London, Gustave Flaubert, James Joyce, Leo Tolstoy, Virginia Woolf, Henry James, Franz Kafka, Kate Chopin, D. H. Lawrence, Joseph Conrad, Anton Chekov, F. Scott Fitgerald, William Faulkner, Jorge Luis Borges, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Ernest Hemingway, Ursula K. Le Guin, John Updike, Raymond Carver, Ralph Ellison, Joyce Carol Oates, Shirley Jackson, Margaret Atwood, Alice Walker, Flannery O'Connor.
What I like best about this book is that, in addition to the great short stories, the book also contains commentary from each author. The commentary varies. The author might discuss how or why the story was written, or public reaction to the story, or their view of literature, or give specific advice on an area of the writer's craft. For example: Earnest Hemingway's essay is on Crafting one True Line. Jorge Luis Borge's author perscpective is Literature as Experience. Shirley Jackson's essay is The Public Reception of "The Lottery." There are too many to list here but the masters discuss the entire spectrum of short story writing from why to write to elements such as character, plot, style, and suspense to authorial explanation and defense of stories.
Excellent Collection.......2006-01-04
This collection has a nice variety of authors and stories. There are unmistakable classics like Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery," Ernest Hemingway's "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place" and James Baldwin's "Sonny's Blues" but also stories by several authors I had never been introduced to before. The result is a fascinating range of styles and perspectives which make the book a compelling and inspiring read.
In addition, many of the "Author's Perspective" pieces give great insights into the lives and views of the writers. For example, Baldwin writes about "Race and the African-American Writer," Faulkner writes about "The Human Heart in Conflict with Itself," and Kafka discusses "The Metamorphosis." These are writings that are not often seen, yet they go a very long way toward placing the story and author in context.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
Average customer rating:
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