<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: Definitely not for beginners or the passionate writer
Review: Although I give Jack Bickham credit for attempting to write a book on structure and scene, as a novelist and writing coach, I can't say that he succeeded. There are some excellent nuggets and some good teaching but, unfortunately, I felt that most of that was lost beneath the mountain of information and somewhat dogmatic writing. Given this, I think that any beginner or even someone who does not have a strong sense of self as a writer who reads this could be overwhelmed by all the information and tone. I myself felt that I was back in college and studying for a course.
The book is far too linear and lacking in the passion that motiviates one to take chances, which is what fiction writing demands. If a writer tried to follow everything he says, she might get hopelessly lost and end up feeling inept, which is the perfect time for the Inner Critic to step in. Then you start thinking things like, "I can't follow this... I'll never be able to write... I might as well clean the bathroom."
To my way of thinking, structure, which is very difficult to explain in the abstract, is also one of the last aspects of putting together a book with which a writer needs to concern himself. It's too intellectual, too heady, too linear to deal with early on. Doing so can actually undermine the creative process. However, what is the right time to start thinking structure is very individual. When I am beginning a book, I don't think in terms of chapters or parts for months. I think in terms of characters and write scenes -- whatever comes to mind -- from different (and emerging) characters' points of view. What's important is finding your character's voice, story, history, motiviation, angst -- whatever. Structuring comes once you feel the character is alive and talking. Then I begin to think about an possible opening chapters. The first structure I apply is that of scenes growing in chapters that have the "possiblity" of taking on the story line. I say "possiblity" because in the early stages of a novel, anything is up for grabs and almost always changes. So what I think is chapter one, if it even exists in a final draft, is often a chapter or scene a third to half-way through the novel. A novel is organic, not static and any stucture must be elastic enough to support this organic nature.
That said, I believe that structure exists in a very pure form somewhere in the writer's unconscious and that if she does her job, opens to the passion and voice of the character and tells the best story she can tell, that structure emerges when it is time. This is not fancy, actually, but a fact I have seen happen countless times with my own books and those of my students. The problem is that it's hard to see structure if you don't know what you're looking for. And if you don't know, then it's best to trust the intuition of your Inner Writer or, if you're a beginner or even intermediate writer, find a coach or take a course with someone who can help you. Remember, each book is different. There's no one size fits all structure.
Scene is a different matter completely. I agree with Jack Bickman that scenes are the building blocks of novel and done well, they add to the pacing of a book. A great way to get an intuitive hit on writing scenes is to watch a movie -- one you have seen before and think is well done -- and watch it for its movement from scene to scene. In a movie, scenes actually build one on top of the other and they come together to make the whole. The same is true of novels. The scenes build one on top of the other and through them we see characters and experience story line. Remember the old adage, "show don't tell." A well done scene always shows because it is driven by the voice of the point of view character who is living in the moment of the scene with all his emotions, needs as well as the necessary interactions and dramatic action that is integral to the scene.
I have broken down the scene into 5 very simple parts, which I believe are all you need to know about creating scenes. As you grow as a writer, you ability to work with these five ingredients grows -- you begin to bring in expereince, talent and writing not only as craft but art.
The five ingredients of the ccene in fiction writing that I think are important are:
1. point of view: who's story are you telling
2. dialogue
3. flashback (may or may not come into play)
4. mood (I'd rather say mood than description.)
5. Dramatic tension
Any book on writing, I believe, needs to be experiential not didactic. As writers, we need to have passion and hands on experience always working along with an discussion of technique.
Rating:
Summary: beware of oversimplified approaches and vague advice
Review: First, this book is about scene, not structure.
Second, virtually every sentence is hopelessly vague. "Structure is nothing more than a way of looking at your story material so that it's organized in a way that's both logical and dramatic." Thanks a lot! This statement is true, of course. It has to be. It's a tautology. "Structure" and "organized" are synonyms. This sentence would be okay, if it were clarified by what follows. It isn't. Every sentence is equally vague. "Structure is a process." Wow! Would a statement like that raise some eyebrows on the people who have spent a lifetime thinking about structure and thinking about process!
Even the discussion of scenes gives very bad advice. "What is the pattern of a scene? ... Statement of goal. Introduction and development of conflict. Failure of the character to reach his goal."(p.23) Anyone who writes scenes like this will have a slow, plodding novel. Novel writers can learn a lot about scenes from watching movies. And from reading books on screenwriting.
Finally, some feel that you should worry about structure AFTER you've written your novel. This is very bad advice (except perhaps for people who have trouble getting anything down on paper at all). Structure should be done before the first draft. Otherwise, the seduction of the prose (one's own sacred prose) will prevent you from ever getting your novel into shape. Besides, designing a novel can itself be a creative process. It doesn't all have to be in the line-level writing. Of course, if you're writing academic-literary fiction, then it doesn't matter. The worse the structure, the better. But for most writers, creating a good structure will make writing the first draft easier, not harder. And you can--and should--always be willing to change the structure on the fly when a great idea comes along!
Rating: 
Summary: Formula for Melodramatic crap
Review: I loved this book. I am a first-time novelist, though I've written some non-fiction. It's true, as one other customer review said, that it has some strict rules that some may feel "limits" their creativity.. These are rules to follow for a cogent story...and they work! You can always break them, if you know them. I want all Jack Bickman's books on my shelf to refer to when I am lost in my writing, or when I need some inspiration. I wish I could take a class from him.
Rating:
Summary: A "How To" for Writing "Pot-Boilers"
Review: If you want to write overly melodramatic pot-boilers of the Sam Spade variety with unbelievable plots and dialogue, then by all means buy this book. If you want to write well, however, I would look elsewhere. The author is overly fond of his own work, which is normal, I suppose. But in my opinion, his own work is a good example of what NOT to do.
The whole book could have--and should have--been edited down to one chapter. There is TOO much unusable information, bad advice, and repetition.
The good information is simply the basic structure of scene-sequel, and cause and effect, with just a few other pointers, such as how to link scenes. But the good information is hiding amidst a lot of bad advice. Most of the rest should have been cut. It is too formula-oriented and will confuse the beginner. If the author's advice is followed, I suspect it will cause him/her to adopt a style which went out with the "action-packed detective comics" of the thirties and forties. This comes through loud and clear in his own writing, not to mention by his continuous use of "your hero" instead of "the protagonist".
Rating: 
Summary: Great message, poorly edited.
Review: In Scene and Structure Bickham says that, to propel a story forward, every scene must end in disaster. By "disaster" he doesn't mean natural disasters or brutal deaths, but that the viewpoint character should have his attempt to pursue a goal thwarted again and again until his desperation pushes him to risk everything in a final attempt. At first, this seems simplistic, and it doesn't describe all stories, but reading this book raised my awareness of what makes some stories compelling while others seem diffuse and uninvolving.Bickham also dwells on the aftermath of every confrontational scene and, in laying out the total pattern, provides the most useful analysis of story I've yet seen.
Rating: 
Summary: The Single Best Book I've Read About Writing Fiction
Review: In the past year I've read at least a dozen books on writing fiction, and up until now, the best has been "The Weekend Novelist". But "Scene & Structure" outdoes them all. In concise, readable prose, Jack Bickham has told me how to fix every bit of fiction I've ever written. At the end of this book I really understood how to pace a novel. I feel that this book has enabled me to make my writing interesting, exciting and intimate. If you buy only one book about writing fiction, buy this one!
Rating:
Summary: Great message, poorly edited.
Review: It amazes me that a book club that sells books to potential writers will allow such a poorly edited book to be released with their imprint. Bickham's message is solid gold. The advice he gives is worthy of being repeated in creative writing courses in the best universities in the world. However, a good editor with a sharp pencil is needed. Somebody please buy Writers Book Club a copy of Strunk and White. They sorely need it.
Rating:
Summary: Read this book, then write your novel
Review: Simply put, of the dozens of books I've read on the subject of writing, this is the best. After reading Scene and Structure I sat down and wrote my first novel. The structure seemed to flow onto the screen as I typed. Yes, Bickham's approach is formulaic. Isn't that why we read "how to" books, to learn successful formulas? The fact is, you won't find a succesful novel that doesn't follow Bickham's formula of "Scene and Sequel". You'll spot the transitions and understand the structure of every new novel you read. And in your own work, as you apply Bickham's strategy of ending each scene with "disaster", you'll craft a novel your readers can't put down.
Rating:
Summary: I wish I'd had this book to read 10 years ago
Review: Taking you from the very minute 'Stimulus and Response' through How to build a classic scene, How to twist the classic scene and finally ending with How to write a multi viewpoint book, Jack M. Bickham keeps as tight hold of you in this non fiction book as he teaches you how to keep a tight hold your readers. All prepublished and mamy published writers could improve their writing by reading this book and doing what it says to. Well done.
Rating:
Summary: For the serious professional
Review: This book is the best book I've read to date on how to write a novel. As Bickham himself wrote, understanding structure frees the writer. Once you understand structure, then you can decide when and how to break the rules.
According to Bickham, novels are made up of scenes, in which there must be conflict; transitions; and sequels, in which the viewpoint character reacts to conflict and determines a new course of action.
The protagonist is the author of her fate; whatever happens at the end of the book is a result of decisions, she has made. An ending doesn't have to be happy, but it has to be satisfying; it has to answer the story question posed at the beginning of the book.
Reading a good book on craft is very encouraging for the struggling writer and this is a great book on craft.
The reviewer of the title "Melodramatic Crap" needs to edit his comments; the spelling errors detract from his message... among other things.
<< 1 >>
|
