The Art of Compelling Fiction

Rating:
Summary: Keep a journal and use what you record
Review: As a former colleague of Chris Leland, I know from whence I speak. Leland refers often to anecdotes that friends told him, articles from obscure newspapers, etc. and it all goes into his journal. Time passes, and that nugget re-appears in his novels. He gives many examples from his own work and precisely what he did to bring that item to life.

The lesson to be learned is: Writers, you must always be on the alert to gather incidents, stories, characters, mannerisms, language and moments in time. Record them for subsequent use. And then, transform them and use them.

Rating:
Summary: a very useful guide
Review: I have used The Art of Compelling Fiction in workshops and college courses. Since I've found it useful for my own writing, I have recommended it unhesitatingly to quite a few of my students.

It does what a good reference book should do, which is to resolve an avalanche of information into coherent order, and it does so in conversational prose. That ain't too shabby.

Rating:
Summary: One of the Best
Review: This is one of the best books written about writing fiction. It's easy to read and understand. The exercises are priceless and extremely helpful. The author talks to you rather than at you. If you're going to be a writer, this is a book you should definately read.