The Successful Novelist by David Morrell

 

(pb; 2008: nonfiction)

From the back cover

“David Morrell, bestselling author of First Blood, The Brotherhood of the Rose and The Fifth Profession, distlls four decades of writing experience and publishing experience into this single masterwork of advice and instruction for fiction writers looking to make it big in the publishing world.

“With advice proven to create successful novels, Morrell teaches you everything you need to know about: Plot, Character, Research, Structure, Viewpoint, Description, Dialogue, The business of publishing, and much more.”

 

Review

Successful is one of the best books I’ve read on novel writing, branding one’s work,  juggling life and work, and the financial end of one’s work after it’s reached a multimedia platform-level. Whether or not your writing habits and notions gel with Morrell’s, Successful is a worthwhile (and excellent) read for the author’s hard-won common sense/dealing-with-rights-and-finances. Great writer’s resource book, one of my all-time favorites in the business-of-writing genre.

Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules of Writing by Elmore Leonard

(hb; 2001, 2007: nonfiction. Illustrated by Joe Ciardiello.)

From the inside flap:

"For aspiring writers and lovers of the written word, this concise guide breaks down the writing process with simplicity and clarity. From adjectives and exclamation points to dialect and hoopetedoodle, Elmore Leonard explains what to avoid, what to aspire to, and what to do when it sounds like 'writing' (rewrite)."


Review:

This short, lots-of-white-space nonfiction book about writing was originally published as an article in the New York Times (“Easy on the Adverbs, Exclamation Points and Especially Hooptedoodle”), so if you can get your hands on that, do so.

If you cannot access it that way, purchase this indispensable, direct and fast read that all writers should check out, if not own. Leonard was a master writer, and his rules – which are flexible, depending on the situation – are the key to more effective published works. This is one of my all-time favorite books about being a better author.)

Bird By Bird by Anne Lamott

(pb; 1994: nonfiction)

Review:

Bird is a good, entertaining and instructive how-to guide on how to become a working writer. Her balanced, sometimes pen-joyous attitude and execution is realistic -- becoming a solid, good or excellent author does not often translate into material wealth and bestsellerdom -- and this hard-truth approach (for some would-be writers) makes this one of the better instructive books I have read on the subject.  

Plotting and Writing Suspense Fiction by Patricia Highsmith

(pb; 1983: non-fiction)

From the back cover

"Patricia Highsmith, author of Strangers on a Train, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Found in the Street, and many other books, is known as one of the finest suspense novelists. In this book, she analyzes the key elements of suspense fiction, drawing upon her own experience in four decades as a working writer. Among other topics, she talks about: how to develop a complete story from an idea; what makes a plot gripping; the use (and abuse) of coincidence; characterization and the 'likable criminal'; going from first draft to final draft; and writing the suspense short story.

"Throughout the book, Highsmith illustrates her points with plentiful examples from her own work, and by discussing her own inspirations, false starts, dead ends, successes, and failures, she presents a lively and highly readable picture of the novelist at work..."


Review

Reading this is like having a practical and logical, friendly chat with an ego-eschewing writer who's had a wide array of writing experiences, good and bad, and is willing to share them with us, the reading audience.

Excellent read, not only for the above qualities, but for the fact that Highsmith, like any smart writer, acknowledges that each author's process and style is individual - a fact that she notes a few times in Plotting.

I'd recommend this book to writers of any genre, because much of the advice Highsmith offers, as far as publishing and preparation is concerned, applies to most, if not all, writing genres.

Worth owning, this.

How To Read/Write A Dirty Story, by Susie Bright

(pb; 2001: non-fiction)

From the back cover:

"Susie Bright, the bestselling editor and founder of The Best American Erotica series and the first Herotica anthologies, has finally written the complete guide for people who like to read, write, publish, and think about sex.

". . . Bright offers the dream How-To book -- not to mention a How-To-Dream book -- for the erotic literati:

"For Erotic Writers:
"What is Your Sexual Story?
"Creating Sexual Characters
"Steamy Plots
"How to Mix Sex with Other Genres
"Up-to-Date Resources for Erotic Authors

"For Erotic Readers:
"Is This a Stroke Book or Is This Art?
"The Erotic Reader's Bill of Rights
"The 'Good Parts'
"Susie's Favorite Erotic Reference Library

"For Erotic Thinkers:
"Is Writing Sex Better than Having Sex?
"The Similarities Between Erotica and Pornography
"Sex and Violence
"Erotica Burn-out

"For Erotic Publishers:
"A Devil's Argument Against Publishing
"Finding the Perfect Editor
"Money Money Money
"Big-Time, Small Press, and Internet Publishing
"Can You Be an Artist and a Salesman?
"Fan Clubs, Book Tours, and Book Reviews

"With candor and humor, Bright tells her own explicit adventures in erotic publishing from the creative inspiration to the nitty-gritty economics. She offers provocative exercises for writers and readers alike to hone their writing and critical skills, and opens up the whole treasure chest of erotic literature and history. Here's a guide that will teach you not only how to 'write a dirty story,' but also to recognize the most powerful and insightful places in the erotica experience."

Review:

How To... is a practical, informative and supportive guide for any fiction writer who may find themselves (or their characters) confronting the issue of sex. A well-written, plot-centric sex scene furthers the narrative, and reveals (non-)emotional elements of the characters in question; it's not just thrown in to titillate: so says Bright early on, a point she maintains throughout How To....

In straightforward, warm language, Bright tells readers how to start and maintain a writing career, no matter what genre(s) you write for, fiction or non-fiction, erotica or mainstream pop fiction, et cetera. It covers how to become/stay sane and successful while navigating the wild and unexpected script-flips life throws at you: publishing and marketing joys, follies and failures; critics, many of whom won't (intentionally or unintentionally) "get" your work, no matter what you write; financial woes and boosts. . . You know, life!

This is one of the best 'how to be a writer' books I've read.

If you're an open-minded and mature writer or artist (i.e., you acknowledge that diversity and sex is healthy and nothing to be ashamed of), this may be an excellent resource for you. (Experienced writers/artists may get a lot of out How To..., as well -- a creative life is one lined with inevitable, particular blues, and we all need suportive reminders, from time to time, about how to get back on our feet.)

Worth owning, and re-reading, this.

How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author by Janet Evanovich with Ina Yalof

(pb; 2006: non-fiction)

"How I Write is for anyone who is hungry to find out about how Janet Evanovich does what she does.

"• How she comes up with such remarkable characters, like Stephanie Plum, Lula, and Grandma Mazur.

"• How she finds out insider details.

"• Just how she thinks up those hair-raising plots.

"• Techniques on revising and editing.

"• What the life of a full-time writer is really like.

" •What she'd tell an aspiring author about the publishing industry.

"• And much, much more!

"Written with nonfiction author and creative writing teacher Ina Yalof and with help from daughter Alex Evanovich, How I Write is the perfect guide for anyone looking to strengthen their writing, and for those who want to find out just what makes Janet Evanovich tick!"


Review 

Entertaining, instructional read. The personable optimism, humor and pragmatism that Evanovich imbues her fictional work with highlights this book, as well.

This is not the definitive how-to-write book, nor does it claim to be. As Evanovich repeatedly warns, this is how she writes; every writer has to find out, via experience, what writing set-up works for him or her.

It is, however, fun (in a non-threatening-to-beginning-writers way) and helpful (whether you're a beginner, or a more experienced writer). The side-bar pointers from Evanovich's daughter, Alex, and Yalof enhance Evanovich's observations.

My only nit is that some of the readers' questions are essentially the same question, stated in a slightly different way. A number of these questions could have been trimmed, making for a more focussed read.

Worth reading, this, whether you're new to writing, or an older hand at it. Check it out from your local library.

Writing Mystery and Crime Fiction, edited by Sylvia K. Burack

(pb; 1985: non-fiction)

From the back cover:

"A practical guide for both beginning and professionals, Writing Mystery and Crime Fiction offers valuable advice from leading experts on the specialized technique of writing mystery fiction. Twenty-six successful crime and mystery writers discuss the basics of plotting, characterization, setting, pace, dialogue, and other essential elements of crime fiction.

"These best-selling authors describe tested procedures for writing and selling full-length novels and short mystery fiction, using examples from their own published works.

"All types of mystery writing are covered: police procedurals, suspense fiction, spy thrillers, modern psychology novels, inner-suspense stories, and true crime fiction -- by Catherine Aird, Jean L. Backus, Cecilia Bartholomew, Rex Burns, Max Byrd, Stanley Ellin, Loren D. Estleman, Rosemary Gatenby, Sue Grafton, Bill Granger, William Hallahan, Paul Henissart, Clark Howard, P.D. James, Peter Lovesey, Dan J. Marlowe, Patricia Moyes, Marcia Muller, Al Nussbaum, Lillian O'Donnell, Gerald Petievich, Richard Martin Stern, Mary Stewart, Dorothy Uhnak, Michael Underwood, and Phyllis A. Whitney.

" 'A Layman's Guide to Law and the Courts,' and ' Glossary of Legal Terms,' both prepared by the American Bar Association, and a selected list of important reference books round out this. . . handbook."

Review:

The back-cover blurb pretty much says anything I'd write about this indispensable-to-any-crime-thriller-writer how-to guide.

Easily one of the best genre-specific writing books I've read. All the essays were helpful to me, whether they shored up knowledge-experience I already possessed, or taught me something new. There's something here for any crime/thriller writer out there, if the reader in question isn't close-minded.

Own it, already!