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What If? Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers
An essential to any writer's library, What If? is comprised entirely of specific exercises intended to help the reader master the art of writing fiction. The exercises isolate the various elements of fiction - dialogue, plot, characterization, point- of-view, etc. - and present specific problems to solve through writing. Directed toward both beginners and professional writers, this book addresses topics such as discovering where to start and end a story; learning when to use dialogue and when to use indirect discourse; transforming real events into fiction; and finding language that both sings and communicates precisely. For those interested in writing fiction.
504 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
67 people are currently reading
2549 people want to read
About the author
Anne Bernays
45 books6 followersAnne Bernays is a novelist and writing teacher. Her articles and essays have appeared in numerous major publications, among them The Nation, The New York Times, Town & Country, and Sports Illustrated. She lives in Cambridge and Truro, Massachusetts with her husband, Justin Kaplan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
June 27, 2009
This second edition of What if?, a tome of a book, is labeled “College Edition” and would appeal to anyone teaching fiction writing, or to anyone who writes fiction. This book would also appeal to readers: the final two sections – 200 pages of this over-500-page book – contain a dozen short-short stories; and a collection of contemporary short stories by stellar authors such as Margaret Atwood, Raymond Carver, and Alice Munro.
The book is organized around fourteen topics: Beginnings; Notebooks, Journals and Memory; Characterization; Perspective, Distance and Point of View; Dialogue; The Interior Landscape of Your Characters; Plot; The Elements of Style; A Writer’s Tools; Invention and Transformation; Revision: Rewriting is Writing; Games; Learning from the Greats; and Sudden, Flash, and Microfiction: Writing the Short Short Story.
Although I am presently working on the second draft of a novel, I still do some of the exercises now and then, and have ended up with some surprising results. What If? is actually more like a textbook: Each exercise consists of an introductory paragraph, instructions for completing the exercise, a paragraph explaining its objectives, and finally, in some, but not all cases, an example executed by a student. By breaking down the exercises into their constitutional parts, we ensure that student and teacher understand both the rational behind the task and the method by which to complete it. … Included, are many exercises by fiction writers who are also teachers.
In the introduction, the authors quote what Angus Wilson had to say in a Paris Review interview: “Plays and short stories are similar in that both start when all but the action is finished.” This goes along with Horace’s injunction to begin the story in medias res – in the middle of things. In The Exercise: “Consider how many of the opening lines below pull you into the center of the story. What do you know about the story – situation, characters, geography, setting, class, education, potential conflict, etc. – from reading the titles in the opening lines? What decisions has the author already made about point of view, distance, setting, tone, etc.? Notice how many of the titles are directly related to the first line of the story:
“The Lady with the Dog” by Anton Chekhov
They were saying a new face had been seen on the esplanade: a lady with a pet dog.
“Medley” by Toni Cade Bambara
I could tell the minute I got in the door and dropped my bag, I wasn’t staying.
“Bigfoot Stole My Wife” by Ron Carlson
The problem is credibility.
“Jump-up-Day” by Barbara Kingsolver
Jericha believed herself already an orphan – her mother was in the ground by the time she could walk on it – so the loss of her father when it came was not an exceptional thing.
These are only a few of the examples given, and they are followed up by student examples. The Objective: “To cultivate the habit of beginning your stories in the middle of things. Because you are not obligated to finish these stories, this exercise lowers the emotional stakes and helps to shake up and surprise the imagination.”
And, if you write reviews, you might find the following “exercise” especially helpful:
In Learning from the Greats – What Keeps You Reading?: “In The Eye of the Story, Eudora Welty writes, ‘Learning to write may be part of learning to read. For all I know, writing comes out of a superior devotion to reading.’ Part of the apprenticeship of being a successful writer is learning to read like a writer, discovering how a particular story catches your attention and keeps you involved straight through to the end.
The Exercise: Half-way through a story, ask yourself several questions. What do I care about? What has set in motion that I want to see completed? Where is the writer taking me? Then finish reading the story and see how well the writer met the expectations that she raised for you.
The Objective: To illustrate how the best stories and novels set up situations that are resolved by the time you finish the story or close the book. To learn how to arouse the reader’s curiosity or create expectations in the first half of your story or novel, and then to decide to what degree you should feel obliged to meet those expectations.”
This is a book for a writer at any level. If you use this book, your writing will definitely improve. And if you are “just” a reader, you may well find a new level of appreciation for the writing that you choose to read. There is something in it for everyone.
The book is organized around fourteen topics: Beginnings; Notebooks, Journals and Memory; Characterization; Perspective, Distance and Point of View; Dialogue; The Interior Landscape of Your Characters; Plot; The Elements of Style; A Writer’s Tools; Invention and Transformation; Revision: Rewriting is Writing; Games; Learning from the Greats; and Sudden, Flash, and Microfiction: Writing the Short Short Story.
Although I am presently working on the second draft of a novel, I still do some of the exercises now and then, and have ended up with some surprising results. What If? is actually more like a textbook: Each exercise consists of an introductory paragraph, instructions for completing the exercise, a paragraph explaining its objectives, and finally, in some, but not all cases, an example executed by a student. By breaking down the exercises into their constitutional parts, we ensure that student and teacher understand both the rational behind the task and the method by which to complete it. … Included, are many exercises by fiction writers who are also teachers.
In the introduction, the authors quote what Angus Wilson had to say in a Paris Review interview: “Plays and short stories are similar in that both start when all but the action is finished.” This goes along with Horace’s injunction to begin the story in medias res – in the middle of things. In The Exercise: “Consider how many of the opening lines below pull you into the center of the story. What do you know about the story – situation, characters, geography, setting, class, education, potential conflict, etc. – from reading the titles in the opening lines? What decisions has the author already made about point of view, distance, setting, tone, etc.? Notice how many of the titles are directly related to the first line of the story:
“The Lady with the Dog” by Anton Chekhov
They were saying a new face had been seen on the esplanade: a lady with a pet dog.
“Medley” by Toni Cade Bambara
I could tell the minute I got in the door and dropped my bag, I wasn’t staying.
“Bigfoot Stole My Wife” by Ron Carlson
The problem is credibility.
“Jump-up-Day” by Barbara Kingsolver
Jericha believed herself already an orphan – her mother was in the ground by the time she could walk on it – so the loss of her father when it came was not an exceptional thing.
These are only a few of the examples given, and they are followed up by student examples. The Objective: “To cultivate the habit of beginning your stories in the middle of things. Because you are not obligated to finish these stories, this exercise lowers the emotional stakes and helps to shake up and surprise the imagination.”
And, if you write reviews, you might find the following “exercise” especially helpful:
In Learning from the Greats – What Keeps You Reading?: “In The Eye of the Story, Eudora Welty writes, ‘Learning to write may be part of learning to read. For all I know, writing comes out of a superior devotion to reading.’ Part of the apprenticeship of being a successful writer is learning to read like a writer, discovering how a particular story catches your attention and keeps you involved straight through to the end.
The Exercise: Half-way through a story, ask yourself several questions. What do I care about? What has set in motion that I want to see completed? Where is the writer taking me? Then finish reading the story and see how well the writer met the expectations that she raised for you.
The Objective: To illustrate how the best stories and novels set up situations that are resolved by the time you finish the story or close the book. To learn how to arouse the reader’s curiosity or create expectations in the first half of your story or novel, and then to decide to what degree you should feel obliged to meet those expectations.”
This is a book for a writer at any level. If you use this book, your writing will definitely improve. And if you are “just” a reader, you may well find a new level of appreciation for the writing that you choose to read. There is something in it for everyone.
January 24, 2018
DNF on account of content. What's wrong here, folks? How hard is it to write a clean writing exercise book?? Good grief. Sad, too, because some of the exercises were interesting. #nope
December 27, 2020
It was ok, really useful at times. Feels a little dated. Makes a lot of suppositions about sexuality and gender without honoring the creative outlet that exploring those topics and turning them on their head can be. A good tool for someone truly stuck or who thinks they have stories to tell but nowhere to start.
November 22, 2008
I have the newest version which I had to order from the states, but I refer to it often. There aren't quite the same exercises as this original, but there are more of them, and the new text includes a good number of short, short stories and short stories, as well.
May 30, 2021
Super handy! Lots of questions I’d probably not ask myself to get out of writing pickles. Glad my writing instructor suggested it.
March 13, 2019
Quite a few brilliant ideas that just get you writing, which is all I could hope for!
June 1, 2015
Different from most writing books, this is - basically - nothing but writing exercises, intended to help with particular parts of writing. I like the layout, organised roughly into categories, and it’s intended to be something to dip into, for inspiration and ideas. I thought I’d work through this one and began, six months ago, by doing some of the exercises. However I didn't feel able to make the time and abandoned it for a while, then recently read the rest of the book, looking at the exercises and thinking that I might get back to them one day.
There are lots of good points made in the book to illustrate what the exercises are about. The writing prompts encourage the reader to be creative and without necessarily leading to anything longer. There are exercises for honing stories that exist already, for picking out features of other people’s writing, and for trying new techniques. In many of the sections there examples given of student responses to the exercises, done in writing workshops.
The authors are themselves writing coaches as well as writers, and I thought this was an excellent resource, even though I didn't make full use of it. I hope to return to it, however, and dip into it in the future.
Recommended.
There are lots of good points made in the book to illustrate what the exercises are about. The writing prompts encourage the reader to be creative and without necessarily leading to anything longer. There are exercises for honing stories that exist already, for picking out features of other people’s writing, and for trying new techniques. In many of the sections there examples given of student responses to the exercises, done in writing workshops.
The authors are themselves writing coaches as well as writers, and I thought this was an excellent resource, even though I didn't make full use of it. I hope to return to it, however, and dip into it in the future.
Recommended.
February 7, 2017
This book is the most condescending, poorly written book on writing that used to grace my shelves.
The authors spoke to their audience like we couldn't write, and their sentences were so wordy that I started removing the excess words. When I did this, I was able to cross out 50% of the words in the sentences and still maintain the original meaning of the sentence. If you are going to write poorly to inexperienced writers, then you certainly shouldn't condescend to them.
I threw this book away. It is the only book I have ever thrown away.
The authors spoke to their audience like we couldn't write, and their sentences were so wordy that I started removing the excess words. When I did this, I was able to cross out 50% of the words in the sentences and still maintain the original meaning of the sentence. If you are going to write poorly to inexperienced writers, then you certainly shouldn't condescend to them.
I threw this book away. It is the only book I have ever thrown away.
September 9, 2016
This was an okay book. My idea in reading it was that I would do each of the writing exercises as I read them, but most of them I felt would not help me achieve my current goals. I did get some great ideas though and I wouldn't discourage any writer from trying this book out. But I would recommend skimming through the book to find exercises that will help you work through your current kinks, and not to work through the book cover to cover.
July 31, 2011
Great motivator for writers.
Ask the difficult questions and then write the story.
Ask the difficult questions and then write the story.
April 24, 2023
This book is a comprehensive guide that offers practical and engaging writing exercises for aspiring fiction writers. The book is authored by Anne Bernays and Pamela Painter, both of whom are accomplished authors and writing instructors.
The book is divided into several sections, each focusing on a different aspect of fiction writing. The authors cover topics such as character development, plot construction, dialogue, point of view, and setting. Each section includes a variety of writing exercises that are designed to help writers develop their skills and improve their craft.
One of the strengths of the book is the diversity of the writing exercises. The authors provide a wide range of prompts and activities, from writing exercises that encourage writers to explore their own memories and experiences, to prompts that ask writers to imagine alternative scenarios or to write in a different genre. The exercises are challenging and thought-provoking, and they are accompanied by helpful tips and suggestions.
Another strength of the book is the way in which it is structured. The authors have organized the exercises in a logical and progressive manner, so that writers can work through them in order, building their skills and confidence as they go. Each exercise is also accompanied by a brief explanation of the concepts or techniques it is intended to help develop.
It is an excellent resource for anyone looking to improve their writing skills or to overcome writer's block. The exercises are stimulating, challenging, and enjoyable, and they are accompanied by insightful commentary and advice from two experienced authors. This book is highly recommended for aspiring writers of all levels.
The book is divided into several sections, each focusing on a different aspect of fiction writing. The authors cover topics such as character development, plot construction, dialogue, point of view, and setting. Each section includes a variety of writing exercises that are designed to help writers develop their skills and improve their craft.
One of the strengths of the book is the diversity of the writing exercises. The authors provide a wide range of prompts and activities, from writing exercises that encourage writers to explore their own memories and experiences, to prompts that ask writers to imagine alternative scenarios or to write in a different genre. The exercises are challenging and thought-provoking, and they are accompanied by helpful tips and suggestions.
Another strength of the book is the way in which it is structured. The authors have organized the exercises in a logical and progressive manner, so that writers can work through them in order, building their skills and confidence as they go. Each exercise is also accompanied by a brief explanation of the concepts or techniques it is intended to help develop.
It is an excellent resource for anyone looking to improve their writing skills or to overcome writer's block. The exercises are stimulating, challenging, and enjoyable, and they are accompanied by insightful commentary and advice from two experienced authors. This book is highly recommended for aspiring writers of all levels.
August 19, 2021
I haven’t finished this in its entirety, but it will remain a great resource on my shelf for getting me out of a rut, considering problems with my writing, generating fresh material. I can open it to any page and be handed some thoughtful concepts, useful exercises, and inspiring quotes from established authors.
November 30, 2024
I found this book intriguing pulling from a lot of other texts and books on writing fiction. It seems that they put into words what I feel I instinctively felt as a writer before and what I had learned in previous creative writing classes. I had hoped to gain new knowledge in this regard but my expectations weren’t met.
August 3, 2017
a good book to work through when perfecting your technique
August 22, 2017
Thorough exploration of fiction exercises with a variety of short stories to illustrate the lesson.
September 10, 2017
A classic, especially for creative writing teachers.
December 30, 2019
Not bad, but it takes fortitude to work through it as it gets tiresome. Reads like textbook.
December 18, 2020
There are some good ideas and exercises in here, but a lot of it seems aimed at more 'literary' writing. Still, I adapt and it works.
Read
August 7, 2021to-read
Want to read
February 24, 2022writing exerciese
June 24, 2022
A great book for explaining the basics of story writing, but the real bonus here is it also serves as a writing prompt - there are lots of great writing exercises to get the creative blood pumping.
May 19, 2024
Good exercises if you're starting out or want to practice techniques.
March 18, 2017
This is an incredible resource for learning and practising techniques related to fiction writing, and the short stories in the end are phenomenal. I used this back in college in 2007-09, and loved it then. I've used in many times since when working with fiction writing groups, and still love it.
January 16, 2022
I’ve reached much further back in my “Read” shelf for this review. As I was looking through the books I’ve read more recently, I struggled to find much that was interesting to say, even if I had a relatively strong opinion on the book. When I came across this book towards the very back of my read books, I realized I had thought several times of this book when I instinctively contrasted it with what I’ve learned about writing since college, which was when I first read it. I was dilletante-ing my way through college splitting my time between the Theater Department and the English Department, like so many other impressionable and directionless would-be artists. This was one of the required texts for my first and last Creative Writing Class. Both the course and this book were drab and uninspired. The exercise from this book that sticks most clearly in my head is one that stand directly opposed to a valuable lesson I learned from John Truby’s Anatomy of Story. Truby warns, when creating characters, not to list dozens of traits about your characters, but to think about what distinguishes them from one another. Don’t waste time agonizing over what your protagonist’s social security number is, or what brand of toothpaste they use. Instead think about what their values are, and how those values differ from the other characters. Think about one great weakness from which they suffer, and which stands in the way of a clearly defined desire. This book contains an exercise in which you quite literally sit down and list meaningless character traits (brand of toothpaste and social security number are actual examples from the exercise!) While it is worthwhile to come up with exercises for yourself that ingrain the fundamentals of writing into your system before you embark on a complete story, many of these exercises are in a similarly pedantic vein. If you’re looking for guidance on how to become a better writing try Tuby’s Anatomy of Story or Robert McKee’s Story.
Final Score: 4.5/10
Final Score: 4.5/10
August 29, 2011
Although I liked this book, my two main quibbles are: (1) the selection and arrangement of the collection of short stories, the lengthier ones, that is; and (2) not enough exercises. If you want an exercise on irony, it's not in here. How about one on subtext in dialogue? Zip.
Although the short stories aren't bad, I prefer them to be grouped together. A good example is the anthology Points of View by James Moffett. It is solely about POV and Moffett arranged the stories from straight internal monologue to dramatic monologue to letter narration to diary narration to subjective narration to detached autobiography to memoir (or observer narration) to anonymous narration (single POV) to anonymous narration (dual POV) to anonymous narration (multiple POV). The distance from the reader to the narrator's head steadily increases from the beginning of this anthology to the end.
Although the short stories aren't bad, I prefer them to be grouped together. A good example is the anthology Points of View by James Moffett. It is solely about POV and Moffett arranged the stories from straight internal monologue to dramatic monologue to letter narration to diary narration to subjective narration to detached autobiography to memoir (or observer narration) to anonymous narration (single POV) to anonymous narration (dual POV) to anonymous narration (multiple POV). The distance from the reader to the narrator's head steadily increases from the beginning of this anthology to the end.
December 19, 2014
Another great creative writing text. Practical yet creative in approach. The “what if” list actually helped me to “unstick” and finish a story I'd been working on for a long time.
Since my first reading, I’ve also used a number of these exercises to revise, and a number of them to polish a MS. For example, highlighting that which represent the five senses using five different colors. It graphically represents how much or how little your writing is concrete, appealing at least some of the time to the five ways we interpret the world. I used it with regard to an entire novel, and the process helped me to revise some rather poverty-stricken areas of the book.
Since my first reading, I’ve also used a number of these exercises to revise, and a number of them to polish a MS. For example, highlighting that which represent the five senses using five different colors. It graphically represents how much or how little your writing is concrete, appealing at least some of the time to the five ways we interpret the world. I used it with regard to an entire novel, and the process helped me to revise some rather poverty-stricken areas of the book.
June 15, 2009
This is a wonderful writing exercise book! There are several exercises that I already do in my writing, and I either skip them or tweak them a bit, but it is still helpful because now I know why those tips work or are necessary in writing. I try to do one exercise a day, but I find myself excited by the writing prompts and I end up doing two or three, or even stopping so I can work on a story the exercise has just inspired. I'm getting so much writing done these days! I will keep using this until all the tips are drilled into my head.
October 11, 2013
Great, wonderful, book! Tons of easy, relevant exercises, categorized in an easy-to-read manner, complete with student examples. And don't skip out on the short stories at the end of the book!
For anyone interested in workshopping, I am posting (almost) all of these exercises on my blog here: http://www.erinlanders.com/category/w...
I'd love to get someone participating with me.
Self-promotion aside, do pick up this fantastic book that is applicable to both novel writers and those who do short stories.
For anyone interested in workshopping, I am posting (almost) all of these exercises on my blog here: http://www.erinlanders.com/category/w...
I'd love to get someone participating with me.
Self-promotion aside, do pick up this fantastic book that is applicable to both novel writers and those who do short stories.
September 3, 2007
This book has some fantastic characterization and plot exercises. My friend Colin recommended it to me after his summer class on writing, and it happened to be in my curriculum the next semester. While I haven't sat down and done all these yet, I certainly think it presents an amazing way to build full...not just characters, but people...and see stories from all ends. If you want to write, pick it up.
November 19, 2008
I haven't tried any of the exercises in this book yet, but they look intriguing. Very practical oriented, not nuts and bolts technical, philosophical, or advice on how to live as a writer. Just a series of exercises (tons) to work on different fiction writing skills. Thorough. They've got some nice stories tossed in at the end, though they just kind of say "these are good stories" without providing any commentary as to why they were selected or what aspects are particularly well handled.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews