Shaping the Story: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Short Fiction

Rating:
Summary: Solid and engrossing
Review: Face it - there are hundreds of how-to-write-anything books. So why read Shaping The Story? Because it's the equivalent of a seasoned pro walking you through the genesis and development of a single story - Baechtel leads you by the hand (unobtrusively), leavening the instruction with student examples, and well-known and lesser-know stories by wonderful short story writers. I particularly liked the interplay between the author's comments and the students. You can tell that these techniques have been 'road tested' in the classroom. Excellent for the serious beginning writer, with plenty for more experienced writers.