How to Write Western Novels

Genre Writing Series

by Matt Braun

Offers advice on plot, Western dialogue, narration, style, storytelling, and research, and tells how to submit a manuscript

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction

164 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1988

About the author

Matt Braun is an author of fifty-six books, most of which are in the Western genre and has over 40 million copies in print.

Reviews

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was pretty good. I've been writing a good while so there wasn't a lot of brand new stuff for me but it was good to get some reminders. Braun is a good writer. He's obviously more pro-outline than I am, and he's certainly had considerable success. My one criticism, and it wasn't terribly obnoxious, was that Braun tended to use "academics" as his foils when he talked about storytelling versus "artsy" writing. He clearly came down on the side of storytelling, which is fine. The problem for me is that I'm an academic and couldn't see myself in the side he was criticizing. I know some academics who seem a bit stuck up, as is true of non-academics. I also know plenty of academics who love a rollicking good yarn and strive to write the same. I count myself among that number. But, like I said, it wasn't particularly obnoxious. A good element too is his list of good western novels to study if you want to write westerns. I've read a number of those but still have some I didn't know about.

[Russ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book because it quickly taught me how much effort must go into writing a Western. Westerns may come across as light adventures, but now I see that this genre can be perilous terrain for an uninformed writer.

What's so hard about it? Well, #1, you need the best elements of an adventure or thriller--riveting plots with fast-paced, exciting, but simple stories (no overly complicated plot webs, people!) #2, you need to do as much research as you would for any historical fiction, which includes getting the dialog to be historically accurate to the time period and the region. Relatedly, Western readers are knowledgeable of what is accurate and what isn't, and they'll crucify you if you don't do your homework. You need to be reading Western novels and Western nonfiction in addition to traveling onsite if you want to get the details right.

What the book doesn't mention is that the market for Western novels is extremely small. So in my opinion, even if you can get #1 and #2 above right, you will have a hard time selling your story. You could self-publish, but most self-published books have less than a hundred readers. Unless you truly love and understand the genre, it seems like a lot of work to reach very few readers.

Still, this book is worth reading because of the writing lessons and tips that it includes, much of which is relevant to any action-oriented fiction genre.

[Common Sense · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this was an amazing book. It's focused on Westerns but there are teachings that apply to other genres. Matt explained in abstract but he also gave examples, but not too many. I've been writing for years, many of the things here I do then instinctively, but others I have no experience with, especially the parts about publishing and editors. I'm writing a Sci-fi Western now with the intention to publish (finally), so this was a very helpful book.

[JaTonna · Rating 4 out of 5]

So submission part is outdated. Rarely do people accept mail in submissions anymore.
There is good perspective in the book. It helped a lot.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A totally PRACTICAL book on writing - applies to any genre. The most practical approach I have read (and I have read lots in the how to write genre). He poo-poos "literature" and "timeless prose" in favor of telling a good story. He writes two books a year (or did) and gives a very workable schedule for making that possible. His novels average 100,000 words - a great target for any genre.

He is focused on making a living as a writer, which means considering writing a job. Along the way, a classic could be born, but with two published books a year your mortgage will get paid and food will be on the table.

Bravo Matt Braun!!! Thank you!

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Westerns are different from other genres and have different requirements for geography, characters, and dialogue. Braun gives advice on how to write western novels.