How Fiction Works: The Last Word on Writing Fiction--From Basics to the Fine Points

Rating:
Summary: A good book on fiction that is clear and concise
Review: After having read several books on the aspects of fiction writing, I found Mr. Hall's book to be one of the more interesting. Unlike some books on fiction writing, Hall does not eschew the classics, and therefore doesn't consider only genre or current fiction. His ideas on the concrete versus the vague or abstract are certainly not new and can easily be found elsewhere, but he presents his ideas in a way that is seldom dull or strictly academic. I did find his statement on page 166 about MG owners having a "raffish and go-to-hell character" a bit silly if not prejudice, but overall this was one of the better books I have read on the subject of creative fiction.

Rating:
Summary: I hated, hated, hated this book
Review: It starts out being a not a bad reference and some of the examples are adequate, if not particularly insightful, or dealt with in any great depth. The author belongs to the colorful detail school of fiction writing -- he tells you every chance he gets. Fine. But by the final third of the book, the author is into total self promotion, and it gets on ones nerves. Instead of "How Fiction Works" being the title, perhaps it should have been "How Fiction has Worked Very, Very Well for Me." The book appears to have been dashed out to meet a contract committment without any serious thought put into it. Mr. Hall may well be the marvelous writer he claims to be, but as an editor he should aspire to improvement. I bought this book on the basis of an Amazon programmed recommendation and the reviewer comments. Sad to say, the rule about letting the buyer beware still applies.

Rating:
Summary: From a Fiction Author to a Fiction Author
Review: Thank you, Mr. Hall. Your words are to the point! I like that...I need that...I have time for little else.

I appreciated the "get to it" instruction. Even though I've already written three novels (in the process of the third)I know--like Hall--that I've a lot to learn. Needless to say, novel three is under some serious reconstruction! :)

This book will be highly recommended by me in the future!