A workbook that offers down-to-earth ideas and suggestions for anyone interested in getting started or honing their creative writing skills. "The Writing Book" doesn't just talk about how to write fiction; it takes you, step by step, through the process of doing it. Each chapter concentrates on one aspect of writing: getting started, bringing characters to life, writing convincing dialogue, revising and writer's block, and exercises in each chapter are carefully structured so that each one builds on the one before. Examples from contemporary Australian writing demonstrate how different writers tackle the technical aspects of their art. By working your way through this book, you should gradually craft a piece of fiction, and develop confidence in your own fictional voice. If you'd like to write, but you're not sure how to start, the book will show you how. If you're already writing, it will give you practical ideas for new energy and direction. Kate Grenville is a prizewinning fiction writer whose books include "Lilian's Story" and "Dark Places".

Table of Contents

IntroductionGetting startedSorting throughCharacterPoint of viewVoiceDialogueDescriptionDesignRevisionSubmitting a manuscriptBibliography

Reviews

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.