What do you think?
Rate this book
How to Write a Million
Revealing the secrets of successful authorship - plot, characterization and dialogue - this guide contains everything the aspiring author needs to get started. It explains how to build short stories and novels that don't fizzle out, how to invent characters and how to revise drafts.
- GenresWritingNonfiction
470 pages, Paperback
First published January 23, 1995
1 person is currently reading
118 people want to read
About the author
Orson Scott Card
611 books20.7k followersOrson Scott Card is an American writer known best for his science fiction works. He is (as of 2023) the only person to have won a Hugo Award and a Nebula Award in consecutive years, winning both awards for his novel Ender's Game (1985) and its sequel Speaker for the Dead (1986). A feature film adaptation of Ender's Game, which Card co-produced, was released in 2013. Card also wrote the Locus Fantasy Award-winning series The Tales of Alvin Maker (1987–2003).
Card's fiction often features characters with exceptional gifts who make difficult choices with high stakes. Card has also written political, religious, and social commentary in his columns and other writing; his opposition to homosexuality has provoked public criticism.
Card, who is a great-great-grandson of Brigham Young, was born in Richland, Washington, and grew up in Utah and California. While he was a student at Brigham Young University (BYU), his plays were performed on stage. He served in Brazil as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and headed a community theater for two summers. Card had 27 short stories published between 1978 and 1979, and he won the John W. Campbell Award for best new writer in 1978. He earned a master's degree in English from the University of Utah in 1981 and wrote novels in science fiction, fantasy, non-fiction, and historical fiction genres starting in 1979. Card continued to write prolifically, and he has published over 50 novels and 45 short stories.
Card teaches English at Southern Virginia University; he has written two books on creative writing and serves as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest. He has taught many successful writers at his "literary boot camps". He remains a practicing member of the LDS Church and Mormon fiction writers Stephenie Meyer, Brandon Sanderson, and Dave Wolverton have cited his works as a major influence.
Card's fiction often features characters with exceptional gifts who make difficult choices with high stakes. Card has also written political, religious, and social commentary in his columns and other writing; his opposition to homosexuality has provoked public criticism.
Card, who is a great-great-grandson of Brigham Young, was born in Richland, Washington, and grew up in Utah and California. While he was a student at Brigham Young University (BYU), his plays were performed on stage. He served in Brazil as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and headed a community theater for two summers. Card had 27 short stories published between 1978 and 1979, and he won the John W. Campbell Award for best new writer in 1978. He earned a master's degree in English from the University of Utah in 1981 and wrote novels in science fiction, fantasy, non-fiction, and historical fiction genres starting in 1979. Card continued to write prolifically, and he has published over 50 novels and 45 short stories.
Card teaches English at Southern Virginia University; he has written two books on creative writing and serves as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest. He has taught many successful writers at his "literary boot camps". He remains a practicing member of the LDS Church and Mormon fiction writers Stephenie Meyer, Brandon Sanderson, and Dave Wolverton have cited his works as a major influence.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 7, 2018
There are three books in this volume:
1- Plot by Ansen Dibell (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...)
2- Characters and Viewpoint (Elements of Fiction Writing) by Orson Scott Card (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7...)
3- Dialogue (Elements of Fiction Writing) by Lewis Turco (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...)
I wrote a lot of notes in the Updates as I read these books, which you will find below. Some of them, like the ones for book two, are detailed enough to be used as revision notes (mainly because the book is excellent) whereas others, such as the ones for the third book, are little more than disparaging comments about the structure of the book and the impossibility of remembering anything from it.
The first book is the best one I have ever read on the writing process in general and plots in particular. I intend to refer to this constantly. The second book is written by a master of his trade and again will be referred to constantly as I write about characters. The third book seems to be tacked on at the end to round the volume off. Not the worst book on dialogue, but not the easiest to follow.
Here are the notes I made as I read:
Plot by Ansen Dibell
August 27, 2018 – page 6
1.28% "Just found out what plot is and, in the process, discovered why I lost marks in my assignments on the MA Creative Writing course I'm on."
August 28, 2018 – page 19
4.04% "Test your ideas against these criteria:
1 - Write about a situation you really care about that seems to need sorting out
2 - Make sure you can work with this idea to make it meaningful not just to you but for a wider audience
3 - Ensure that you can show this idea via a series of scenes
4 - Take care that there is something tangible and importance at stake for you and for the characters involved."
August 28, 2018 – page 30
6.38% "Here's what I learned about Openings:
- Starting in the middle of an action scene works if you then show what the 'norm' is shortly afterwards
- Effective openings:
1. Get the story going
2. introduce/characterise the protagonist
3. Engage the reader's interest.
- It's good to have a prop to act as shorthand for an essential truth
- Go on as you started (the start will set an expectation)
- Rewrite if necessary."
August 28, 2018 – page 43
9.15% "Points about Point of View (pov):
Omniscient viewpoint is out if vogue (as of 1988)
- Stick to as few pov as possible. One is best, two is acceptable, three is pushing it
- If you have to have multiple pov then make the shifts as smooth as poss
- Consider an alternative viewpoint (Watson) for uncommunicative characters (Holmes)
Don't change pov in the middle of a scene."
August 28, 2018 – page 58
12.34% "Exposition is the part that explains stuff that needs explaining. Keep it down to a minimum - 20% of the book. The plot should come first. Try to weave exposition naturally into the action, especially the most emotionally charged parts - in this way it won't slow the pace of the story down too much and bore the reader. Spread explanations out, use as few as possible and try to later edit out any that aren't needed."
August 28, 2018 – page 69
14.68% "Once you've written your opening - leave it alone. The bit after the start should be used for building on your protagonist or for starting one or more subplots. The subplots can focus on other characters and can braid in and out of the main plot, but all threads should keep connecting in terms of 'mood, events, props, setting and narrative pattern.' The early middle should tie into and mirror the start and the end."
August 29, 2018 – page 81
17.23% "Story builds towards a crisis. A novel should contain at least 12 scenes that, one by one, build this tension. Foreshadow each scene in ways that will make the scenes believable & convincing. Scenes are high-points, mini crises and steps forward, and should be generated by the story. Don't include anything that isn't necessary to the plot. Twist. A scene should affect things! Stakes should be high. Outlined Rebekah."
August 30, 2018 – page 94
20.0% "Melodrama (md) - making events or people seem larger than life, can reveal the essence of reality by focusing on the more vivid end of the scale of life. Don't take it to extremes. It's especially useful in supernatural/alien/sci-fi stories where you can introduce md in the midst of ordinary events, show it to be credible, have characters believe in it & not play it for laughs. Win belief in md by misdirection."
August 30, 2018 – page 111
23.62% "Patterns, Mirrors & Echoes. Mainly based on the premise that a message in a book goes deeper & more effectively into a readers mind if it's repeated. 3 little pigs, 3 blind mice and folk-tales with 3 somethings are examples. Scenes should echo each other with one thing changed in the repeated version. Scrooge is an e.g. I've put a dead dog into my novel outline as a result. Yup, I know this makes no sense right now."
August 31, 2018 – page 120
25.53% "About the rhythm/pace of a story.
Transition between scenes smoothly by linking between them via mood, weather, similar words - some kind of echo.
Flashbacks are where the narrative is established in the 'present' and then a scene is shown in the past. If it's not shown, but is narrative exposition then this is not called 'flashback'. Flashforwards (ff) are similar, but in the future. Two ff, start & end, is a frame."
August 31, 2018 – page 171
36.38% "There are techniques that do not use plot: mosaic, collage, revelation. Mosaic builds up a picture by use of patterns of images and symbols. Collage sounds hideous. Revelation is used in mystery stories. These are experimental techniques. In the end, the content of a story is much more important than style. Try to forge a human connection with the reader by sharing warm tales about common humanity. End of book 1/3."
Characters and Viewpoint (Elements of Fiction Writing) by Orson Scott Card
September 1, 2018 – page 184
39.15% "2nd book in volume: Characters. What is a Character? To just describe the body of a character (eye/hair colour, height etc.) is not enough. It is more effective to show the actions, motives, past, reputation, relationships, habits, talents and tastes. The first three of these are the most powerful. Lots of really good examples in this chapter, buy this is the essence of what has been written here."
September 1, 2018 – page 195
41.49% "Main characters have to be interesting & believable so write to make them so, otherwise your readers will say 'so what?', 'oh yeah?' or 'huh?' Avoid this by asking questions of your character to develop the story. Basically, start with a scenario and keep asking 'what could go wrong?' Don't settle for the easy/cliche answer. Also - exaggerate and twist things to add interest. Another good q: 'who suffers most here?'"
September 2, 2018 – page 211
44.89% "Characters come from life (strangers, friends/family (but be careful), yourself, analogy, memory & imagination), the story (who must be there, might be there or was there?), a idea/cause or just out of the conjunction of the various elements in your mind and life. Ideas are everywhere - just cast a net (by being aware) to catch them. Just have the faith that you can catch them, and you will."
September 3, 2018 – page 218
46.38% "Making Decision. Make all the names you give your characters unique in every dimension (length, consonant placing, sound, ethnicity etc.) and don't call the same person several things within the story (unless you have to because of the different relationships they have). Keep a 'bible' (a log) of decisions you made in the story (particularly if it is long) so that you don't make mistakes."
September 3, 2018 – page 229
48.72% "To what extent you go into the depth of a character or even if you look at the character at all depends on the type of story. Remember MICE. Milieu is all about world-building (LOTR). Idea is about problems posed and then solved (murder-mystery). Character is about change in a person's life. Event is about something out of balance to solve. How you begin a story tells the reader what kind it is. Characterise aptly."
September 3, 2018 – page 238
50.64% "Characters have a hierarchy: walk-on, minor, major. The tests are: ordinary/strange, time on-screen, power to affect others, being talked about, frequency of appearance, degree of involvement in action, reader's sympathy, has point of view. Keep your characters under control by using these techniques."
September 3, 2018 – page 245
52.13% "Emotion. The stronger the tension in the story, the more emotionally involved a reader will feel. Ways to increase the tension/emotion are: put the character thru emotional/physical pain without making complaint, make the pain self-inflicted or deliberate, put the character in jeapardy/danger, increase (but don't release) sexual tension or/and have the surroundings mirror the emotion (storm und drang)."
September 4, 2018 – page 263
55.96% "To make a reader side with a character, you have to make them loveable. Make them: like us, a little strange, physically attractive (on non-descript), altruistic (victim, saviour or sacrificer), purposeful, courageous/fair, self-deprecating, voluntarily courageous (but involuntarily glorious), dependable, clever (not intellectual) & roguish. There's also a list of ways to make you hate a character. Temper these."
September 4, 2018 – page 269
57.23% "The hero (romantic) and the common man (realist) are where the fashion pendulum swings, according to Northrop Frye (critic). Practically, we should search for the extraordinary within our characters and write about that. Reveal their larger-than-life aspects; their grandeur, and you will have a chance at pleasing the reader who is looking for heroes and role-models in your work."
September 4, 2018 – page 275
58.51% "Comic characters can be made comic by using: a 'take' (essentially, breaking the 4th wall between the character and the reader), exaggeration (... I'm pretty sure you know what that is), downplaying (kind of being, you know - nonchalant about the whole thing) and/or oddness (eccentricity). Don't go too far with these; you might get the laughs, but if taken too far, the reader could cease caring about your characters."
September 4, 2018 – page 289
61.49% "To make a story seem truthful you must get the reader to believe in the characters. Give them elaborate motives & an attitude towards things/people. Also, give them a past. Don't just use flashbacks but blend them into the present by using them like a present event, as a quick reference or as an implied event (use expectations, habits or networks for this). If you have a bizarre event then make sure you justify it."
September 5, 2018 – page 296
62.98% "When characters change, other than when they do so for normal reasons like growing up, you need to justify the change by explaining it. Basic nature doesn't change without a good reason, either environmental, genetic or personal effort and so these things need to be shown if you want readers to believe in your characters."
September 5, 2018 – page 304
64.68% "It's best to use the most normal voice and tense available when writing your story. For point of view (voice) this is usually either first person (I did this/that) or third person (she/he did this/that). Second person is possible, but experimental. For tense, the simplest is either past or present. Anything else better have a good reason, or it will distract from the story. Let your story be of the most importance."
September 5, 2018 – page 310
65.96% "Representational stories have zero intrusion from the writer's voice. Presentational stories (think: breaking the 4th wall) have constant reminders from/by the author that he/she is the one telling the story. Its a spectrum thing (to some extent). You have to know which style you're best at in order to know which to choose for your stories. Readers get emotionally involved more easily in representational stories."
September 5, 2018 – page 313
66.6% "Dramatic (shown) scenes are set in the present and have characters saying and doing things in them. On the other hand, narrative passages are usually set in the past (or future, or elsewhere) and tell, succinctly, the facts about what happened in that other place/time. The former is more time consuming and is for the important stuff. The latter takes less time and is for summaries, flashbacks etc. Both are needed."
September 5, 2018 – page 325
69.15% "1st person narrative must reveal the narrator's character. The narrator must be the kind of person who would tell this story, that is: they must have the right attitude and motives. This is a complex subject that's impossible to summarise in so short a space so you'll just have to buy the book and read the chapter. I assure you - it's well worth it."
September 6, 2018 – page 343
72.98% "Ch: 3rd person POV. 1st person & omniscient are more presentational (narrator is there), so for minimal distraction use limited 3rd person, but if you want comic distance the 1st p and o are good. O is good for brevity over much time/space/character. Sense of truth comes with 1st person. Limited 3rd person is good for beginners. O and 1st p is good for dazzling prose and digressions, a la Vonnegut. Buy this book now!"
September 6, 2018 – page 353
75.11% "So, that's the end of the second book (Character by Orson Scott Card) in this volume. I have to say that these first 2 (of 3) books have taught me more about writing than all my study and experience so far, and will inform my writing for years to come. This is going to be an invaluable aid for the upcoming second year of my MA in Creative Writing. If you're reading this - buy it, buy it, buy it, buy this book now."
Dialogue (Elements of Fiction Writing) by Lewis Turco
September 6, 2018 – page 367
78.09% "This last book of the three in this volume is about dialogue. It's in the form of the author talking (having dialogue) with himself and in the process both telling and showing dialogue in action. It's a bit of a random rag-bag of points so far and nothing much that I didn't know already, but it's entertaining enough in its own way."
September 6, 2018 – page 396
84.26% "The chapter is called 'speech in narration' but it covers so many different aspects of dialogue that I find it difficult to summarise. Actually, it's so all-over-the-place that I can't really remember much of it. Let me check... No, even after looking though it's just a bunch of headers with a load of dialogue inbetween as the author chats to his fictional foil. His editor makes an appearance too. Rather too complex."
September 7, 2018 – page 427
90.85% "Chapter three of the third book in this volume is called Diction. Again, a great many subjects are covered within this chapter but the format and style (the author talking to himself) does not make the material amenable to memorising. Shame, because I feel that the author really knows his eggs (yep, I just finished reading a section about idioms). If he organised the information better then it'd be a super book."
September 7, 2018 – page 455
96.81% "Penultimate (4th) chapter of book 3 down and only one to go. Again, there's little structure to the information given. It's entertaining enough, and easy to read, but I just don't know how much I'll be able to remember. The chapter was called 'Types of Speech' but don't let that fool you into thinking that it was about anything specifical."
September 7, 2018 – page 470
100.0% "The last chapter is the last book in the volume is a summary of the previous four chapters and as such is the most useful. That said, I can't remember much from it. Perhaps if I read it a few times? Let me see - is life long enough? Nah"
1- Plot by Ansen Dibell (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...)
2- Characters and Viewpoint (Elements of Fiction Writing) by Orson Scott Card (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7...)
3- Dialogue (Elements of Fiction Writing) by Lewis Turco (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...)
I wrote a lot of notes in the Updates as I read these books, which you will find below. Some of them, like the ones for book two, are detailed enough to be used as revision notes (mainly because the book is excellent) whereas others, such as the ones for the third book, are little more than disparaging comments about the structure of the book and the impossibility of remembering anything from it.
The first book is the best one I have ever read on the writing process in general and plots in particular. I intend to refer to this constantly. The second book is written by a master of his trade and again will be referred to constantly as I write about characters. The third book seems to be tacked on at the end to round the volume off. Not the worst book on dialogue, but not the easiest to follow.
Here are the notes I made as I read:
Plot by Ansen Dibell
August 27, 2018 – page 6
1.28% "Just found out what plot is and, in the process, discovered why I lost marks in my assignments on the MA Creative Writing course I'm on."
August 28, 2018 – page 19
4.04% "Test your ideas against these criteria:
1 - Write about a situation you really care about that seems to need sorting out
2 - Make sure you can work with this idea to make it meaningful not just to you but for a wider audience
3 - Ensure that you can show this idea via a series of scenes
4 - Take care that there is something tangible and importance at stake for you and for the characters involved."
August 28, 2018 – page 30
6.38% "Here's what I learned about Openings:
- Starting in the middle of an action scene works if you then show what the 'norm' is shortly afterwards
- Effective openings:
1. Get the story going
2. introduce/characterise the protagonist
3. Engage the reader's interest.
- It's good to have a prop to act as shorthand for an essential truth
- Go on as you started (the start will set an expectation)
- Rewrite if necessary."
August 28, 2018 – page 43
9.15% "Points about Point of View (pov):
Omniscient viewpoint is out if vogue (as of 1988)
- Stick to as few pov as possible. One is best, two is acceptable, three is pushing it
- If you have to have multiple pov then make the shifts as smooth as poss
- Consider an alternative viewpoint (Watson) for uncommunicative characters (Holmes)
Don't change pov in the middle of a scene."
August 28, 2018 – page 58
12.34% "Exposition is the part that explains stuff that needs explaining. Keep it down to a minimum - 20% of the book. The plot should come first. Try to weave exposition naturally into the action, especially the most emotionally charged parts - in this way it won't slow the pace of the story down too much and bore the reader. Spread explanations out, use as few as possible and try to later edit out any that aren't needed."
August 28, 2018 – page 69
14.68% "Once you've written your opening - leave it alone. The bit after the start should be used for building on your protagonist or for starting one or more subplots. The subplots can focus on other characters and can braid in and out of the main plot, but all threads should keep connecting in terms of 'mood, events, props, setting and narrative pattern.' The early middle should tie into and mirror the start and the end."
August 29, 2018 – page 81
17.23% "Story builds towards a crisis. A novel should contain at least 12 scenes that, one by one, build this tension. Foreshadow each scene in ways that will make the scenes believable & convincing. Scenes are high-points, mini crises and steps forward, and should be generated by the story. Don't include anything that isn't necessary to the plot. Twist. A scene should affect things! Stakes should be high. Outlined Rebekah."
August 30, 2018 – page 94
20.0% "Melodrama (md) - making events or people seem larger than life, can reveal the essence of reality by focusing on the more vivid end of the scale of life. Don't take it to extremes. It's especially useful in supernatural/alien/sci-fi stories where you can introduce md in the midst of ordinary events, show it to be credible, have characters believe in it & not play it for laughs. Win belief in md by misdirection."
August 30, 2018 – page 111
23.62% "Patterns, Mirrors & Echoes. Mainly based on the premise that a message in a book goes deeper & more effectively into a readers mind if it's repeated. 3 little pigs, 3 blind mice and folk-tales with 3 somethings are examples. Scenes should echo each other with one thing changed in the repeated version. Scrooge is an e.g. I've put a dead dog into my novel outline as a result. Yup, I know this makes no sense right now."
August 31, 2018 – page 120
25.53% "About the rhythm/pace of a story.
Transition between scenes smoothly by linking between them via mood, weather, similar words - some kind of echo.
Flashbacks are where the narrative is established in the 'present' and then a scene is shown in the past. If it's not shown, but is narrative exposition then this is not called 'flashback'. Flashforwards (ff) are similar, but in the future. Two ff, start & end, is a frame."
August 31, 2018 – page 171
36.38% "There are techniques that do not use plot: mosaic, collage, revelation. Mosaic builds up a picture by use of patterns of images and symbols. Collage sounds hideous. Revelation is used in mystery stories. These are experimental techniques. In the end, the content of a story is much more important than style. Try to forge a human connection with the reader by sharing warm tales about common humanity. End of book 1/3."
Characters and Viewpoint (Elements of Fiction Writing) by Orson Scott Card
September 1, 2018 – page 184
39.15% "2nd book in volume: Characters. What is a Character? To just describe the body of a character (eye/hair colour, height etc.) is not enough. It is more effective to show the actions, motives, past, reputation, relationships, habits, talents and tastes. The first three of these are the most powerful. Lots of really good examples in this chapter, buy this is the essence of what has been written here."
September 1, 2018 – page 195
41.49% "Main characters have to be interesting & believable so write to make them so, otherwise your readers will say 'so what?', 'oh yeah?' or 'huh?' Avoid this by asking questions of your character to develop the story. Basically, start with a scenario and keep asking 'what could go wrong?' Don't settle for the easy/cliche answer. Also - exaggerate and twist things to add interest. Another good q: 'who suffers most here?'"
September 2, 2018 – page 211
44.89% "Characters come from life (strangers, friends/family (but be careful), yourself, analogy, memory & imagination), the story (who must be there, might be there or was there?), a idea/cause or just out of the conjunction of the various elements in your mind and life. Ideas are everywhere - just cast a net (by being aware) to catch them. Just have the faith that you can catch them, and you will."
September 3, 2018 – page 218
46.38% "Making Decision. Make all the names you give your characters unique in every dimension (length, consonant placing, sound, ethnicity etc.) and don't call the same person several things within the story (unless you have to because of the different relationships they have). Keep a 'bible' (a log) of decisions you made in the story (particularly if it is long) so that you don't make mistakes."
September 3, 2018 – page 229
48.72% "To what extent you go into the depth of a character or even if you look at the character at all depends on the type of story. Remember MICE. Milieu is all about world-building (LOTR). Idea is about problems posed and then solved (murder-mystery). Character is about change in a person's life. Event is about something out of balance to solve. How you begin a story tells the reader what kind it is. Characterise aptly."
September 3, 2018 – page 238
50.64% "Characters have a hierarchy: walk-on, minor, major. The tests are: ordinary/strange, time on-screen, power to affect others, being talked about, frequency of appearance, degree of involvement in action, reader's sympathy, has point of view. Keep your characters under control by using these techniques."
September 3, 2018 – page 245
52.13% "Emotion. The stronger the tension in the story, the more emotionally involved a reader will feel. Ways to increase the tension/emotion are: put the character thru emotional/physical pain without making complaint, make the pain self-inflicted or deliberate, put the character in jeapardy/danger, increase (but don't release) sexual tension or/and have the surroundings mirror the emotion (storm und drang)."
September 4, 2018 – page 263
55.96% "To make a reader side with a character, you have to make them loveable. Make them: like us, a little strange, physically attractive (on non-descript), altruistic (victim, saviour or sacrificer), purposeful, courageous/fair, self-deprecating, voluntarily courageous (but involuntarily glorious), dependable, clever (not intellectual) & roguish. There's also a list of ways to make you hate a character. Temper these."
September 4, 2018 – page 269
57.23% "The hero (romantic) and the common man (realist) are where the fashion pendulum swings, according to Northrop Frye (critic). Practically, we should search for the extraordinary within our characters and write about that. Reveal their larger-than-life aspects; their grandeur, and you will have a chance at pleasing the reader who is looking for heroes and role-models in your work."
September 4, 2018 – page 275
58.51% "Comic characters can be made comic by using: a 'take' (essentially, breaking the 4th wall between the character and the reader), exaggeration (... I'm pretty sure you know what that is), downplaying (kind of being, you know - nonchalant about the whole thing) and/or oddness (eccentricity). Don't go too far with these; you might get the laughs, but if taken too far, the reader could cease caring about your characters."
September 4, 2018 – page 289
61.49% "To make a story seem truthful you must get the reader to believe in the characters. Give them elaborate motives & an attitude towards things/people. Also, give them a past. Don't just use flashbacks but blend them into the present by using them like a present event, as a quick reference or as an implied event (use expectations, habits or networks for this). If you have a bizarre event then make sure you justify it."
September 5, 2018 – page 296
62.98% "When characters change, other than when they do so for normal reasons like growing up, you need to justify the change by explaining it. Basic nature doesn't change without a good reason, either environmental, genetic or personal effort and so these things need to be shown if you want readers to believe in your characters."
September 5, 2018 – page 304
64.68% "It's best to use the most normal voice and tense available when writing your story. For point of view (voice) this is usually either first person (I did this/that) or third person (she/he did this/that). Second person is possible, but experimental. For tense, the simplest is either past or present. Anything else better have a good reason, or it will distract from the story. Let your story be of the most importance."
September 5, 2018 – page 310
65.96% "Representational stories have zero intrusion from the writer's voice. Presentational stories (think: breaking the 4th wall) have constant reminders from/by the author that he/she is the one telling the story. Its a spectrum thing (to some extent). You have to know which style you're best at in order to know which to choose for your stories. Readers get emotionally involved more easily in representational stories."
September 5, 2018 – page 313
66.6% "Dramatic (shown) scenes are set in the present and have characters saying and doing things in them. On the other hand, narrative passages are usually set in the past (or future, or elsewhere) and tell, succinctly, the facts about what happened in that other place/time. The former is more time consuming and is for the important stuff. The latter takes less time and is for summaries, flashbacks etc. Both are needed."
September 5, 2018 – page 325
69.15% "1st person narrative must reveal the narrator's character. The narrator must be the kind of person who would tell this story, that is: they must have the right attitude and motives. This is a complex subject that's impossible to summarise in so short a space so you'll just have to buy the book and read the chapter. I assure you - it's well worth it."
September 6, 2018 – page 343
72.98% "Ch: 3rd person POV. 1st person & omniscient are more presentational (narrator is there), so for minimal distraction use limited 3rd person, but if you want comic distance the 1st p and o are good. O is good for brevity over much time/space/character. Sense of truth comes with 1st person. Limited 3rd person is good for beginners. O and 1st p is good for dazzling prose and digressions, a la Vonnegut. Buy this book now!"
September 6, 2018 – page 353
75.11% "So, that's the end of the second book (Character by Orson Scott Card) in this volume. I have to say that these first 2 (of 3) books have taught me more about writing than all my study and experience so far, and will inform my writing for years to come. This is going to be an invaluable aid for the upcoming second year of my MA in Creative Writing. If you're reading this - buy it, buy it, buy it, buy this book now."
Dialogue (Elements of Fiction Writing) by Lewis Turco
September 6, 2018 – page 367
78.09% "This last book of the three in this volume is about dialogue. It's in the form of the author talking (having dialogue) with himself and in the process both telling and showing dialogue in action. It's a bit of a random rag-bag of points so far and nothing much that I didn't know already, but it's entertaining enough in its own way."
September 6, 2018 – page 396
84.26% "The chapter is called 'speech in narration' but it covers so many different aspects of dialogue that I find it difficult to summarise. Actually, it's so all-over-the-place that I can't really remember much of it. Let me check... No, even after looking though it's just a bunch of headers with a load of dialogue inbetween as the author chats to his fictional foil. His editor makes an appearance too. Rather too complex."
September 7, 2018 – page 427
90.85% "Chapter three of the third book in this volume is called Diction. Again, a great many subjects are covered within this chapter but the format and style (the author talking to himself) does not make the material amenable to memorising. Shame, because I feel that the author really knows his eggs (yep, I just finished reading a section about idioms). If he organised the information better then it'd be a super book."
September 7, 2018 – page 455
96.81% "Penultimate (4th) chapter of book 3 down and only one to go. Again, there's little structure to the information given. It's entertaining enough, and easy to read, but I just don't know how much I'll be able to remember. The chapter was called 'Types of Speech' but don't let that fool you into thinking that it was about anything specifical."
September 7, 2018 – page 470
100.0% "The last chapter is the last book in the volume is a summary of the previous four chapters and as such is the most useful. That said, I can't remember much from it. Perhaps if I read it a few times? Let me see - is life long enough? Nah"
March 25, 2017
This is the only 'how to' book worth reading. I have read others and they never add anything to what I learnt from this book. It's got everything and it makes sense. For anyone who wants to write, this book is dynamite. This is impassioned plea for this group of people - those who want to write - read this book and follow every piece of advice in it, particularly if you want me to review it. Should I say, don't ask me to review your novel if you have not read this book. I will simply send it back to you with the advice - READ THIS BOOK.
December 31, 2012
Don't be put off by the cover. There is a great deal of good advice in here.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews