Writing Book: A Workbook for Fiction Writers

This is a practical workbook that guides writers, step-by-step, toward completing a work of fiction. Free of generalizing platitudes, it instead focuses on the specifics of craft: from getting started, discovering characters, writing dialogue and description, to evaluating the design of a draft, and of course revision. Exercises found in this book are actual techniques working writers rely on. They include speed writing, sorting and grouping, rewriting an incident in various styles, experimenting with tone, voice, syntax, and more. Designed to cover every stage of the process—from brainstorming an idea to the final draft—these practical suggestions help writers to liberate their creativity and to refine existing work. Excerpts from published authors are also included and help to illustrate the techniques taught.

This is a practical workbook that guides writers, step-by-step, toward completing a work of fiction. Free of generalizing platitudes, it instead focuses on the specifics of craft: from getting started, discovering characters, writing dialogue and description, to evaluating the design of a draft, and of course revision. Exercises found in this book are actual techniques working writers rely on. They include speed writing; sorting and grouping, rewriting an incident in various styles, experimenting with tone, voice, syntax, and more. Designed to cover every stage of the process-from brainstorming an idea to the final draft-these practical suggestions help writers to liberate their creativity and to refine existing work. Excerpts from published authors are also included and help to illustrate the techniques taught.

Library Journal

This step-by-step guide by Grenville, an Australian author of fiction and teacher of writing, takes the novice writer through the complete process of writing fiction. Urging the use of intuitive, instinctive thinking, Grenville encourages the development of raw fiction from past experiences through brief exercises on dialog, voice, character, etc. The exercises build upon one another as the writer works through the process. Each chapter contains many examples of different writing styles to assist the user in developing his or her own style. The level of this book is basic and fundamental; Gabriele L. Rico's Writing the Natural Way (Tarcher, 1983) covers similar material in more depth and detail. Recommended for large public libraries with a demand for how-to-write material.-- Kathy Ellerton, Thomas Jefferson Lib. System, Jefferson City, Mo.

Kate Grenville is a prizewinning fiction writer whose books include Lilian’s Story and Dark Places. She has an M.A. degree in Creative Writing and has run writing workshops at universities in the United States and abroad.