Hands-On Fiction Workbook

by Edward Allen

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0132388820
• ISBN13: 9780132388825
• Release Date: December 1995
• Publisher: Prentice Hall
• Length: 162 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 7.0" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Should be a standard

From what I can tell, Edward Allen's "The Hands-On Fiction Workbook" was designed to be used by students in writing courses. In fact, I did have an instructor some years ago who used this as part of her curriculum. Instead of being irrelevant outside of the classroom like so many of these types of books can be accused of, I've found Allen's book to be quite a good resource. This is the nuts and bolts of basic fiction writing. It takes both new writers and the more seasoned writers through the entire process of writing fiction from start to finish. Included is what tools a writer needs to use (pencil/paper to computer), a short discussion on "Where Do Stories Come From?" and character and plot development, all the way to "The Joys and Sorrows of Revision." It also includes a short reading list because, as all writers SHOULD know, you need to read to write at all decently. In addition, each chapter utilizes writing exercises that can be done on an individual basis. The only drawback to doing these exercises solo, however, is that there isn't a built-in group to help critique the evolving work. Of course there's no guarantee that, by following the exercises and advice, you'll knock out a best-seller, but some days it sure helps to have a guidebook that may help writers of any level avoid some of the pitfalls Allen sees as bad writing. I've turned to Allen's "The Hands-On Fiction Workbook" every so often in the past several years and find that, even though I know what I will read there, I still get something out of it to help guide me on whatever project I'm a little stuck on at the time. This book is well worth a first, second, even third look and should be one of the standards on at least the beginning writer's bookshelf along with that dictionary and thesaurus.