Writing to the Point: A Complete Guide to Selling Fiction

by Algis Budrys

The classic work of writing instruction back in print! The complete, concise guide to writing fiction that sells from one of the most popular instructors of the Writers of the Future and Clarion workshops.Get a master's competitive edge in the writing business. Bestselling writer, editor and renowned writing teacher Algis Budrys, known as “AJ” to his many students, has distilled his fifty years of success into Writing to the Point. Write better stories. Fix mistakes in your current stories. Writing to the Point contains all the writing articles that appeared in the classic tomorrow Magazine, re-edited and expanded. Algis Budrys has taught hundreds of people at scores of workshops, was a well-known critic, editor, and author in his own right. “AJ’s information is, and always has been, solid gold. Every writer can learn from this book.”—New York Times bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Reference

152 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1994

About the author

Algis Budrys was a Lithuanian-American science fiction author, editor, and critic. He was also known under the pen names Frank Mason, Alger Rome, John A. Sentry, William Scarff, Paul Janvier, and Sam & Janet Argo.

Called "AJ" by friends, Budrys was born Algirdas Jonas Budrys in Königsberg in East Prussia. He was the son of the consul general of the Lithuanian government, (the pre-World War II government still recognized after the war by the United States, even though the Soviet-sponsored government was in power throughout most of Budrys's life). His family was sent to the United States by the Lithuanian government in 1936 when Budrys was 5 years old. During most of his adult life, he held a captain's commission in the Free Lithuanian Army.

Budrys was educated at the University of Miami, and later at Columbia University in New York. His first published science fiction story was The High Purpose, which appeared in Astounding Science Fiction in 1952. Beginning in 1952 Budrys worked as editor and manager for such science fiction publishers as Gnome Press and Galaxy Science Fiction. Some of his science fiction in the 1950s was published under the pen name "John A. Sentry", a reconfigured Anglification of his Lithuanian name. Among his other pseudonyms in the SF magazines of the 1950s and elsewhere, several revived as bylines for vignettes in his magazine Tomorrow Speculative Fiction, is "William Scarff". He also wrote several stories under the names "Ivan Janvier" or "Paul Janvier." He also used the pen name "Alger Rome" in his collaborations with Jerome Bixby.

Budrys's 1960 novella Rogue Moon was nominated for a Hugo Award, and was later anthologized in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume Two (1973). His Cold War science fiction novel Who? was adapted for the screen in 1973. In addition to numerous Hugo Award and Nebula Award nominations, Budrys won the Science Fiction Research Association's 2007 Pilgrim Award for lifetime contributions to speculative fiction scholarship. In 2009, he was the recipient of one of the first three Solstice Awards presented by the SFWA in recognition of his contributions to the field of science fiction.

Budrys was married to Edna Duna; they had four sons. He last resided in Evanston, Illinois. He died at home, from metastatic malignant melanoma on June 9, 2008.

Reviews

[Jim Reddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be a clear, concise, and very useful introduction to writing fiction. The author talks about the difference between the manuscript and the story, the seven parts of a story, common mistakes of beginning writers, natural dialogue vs. declaration, agents, and reminding the reader that when you are not actually writing, you are doing something other than writing. Lots of useful advice in a small package.

[Miguel Ángel Alonso Pulido · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una guía directa y al grano para escritores, en la que Budrys te explica cómo construir tus historias y qué tienes que hacer para que estas tengan un mínimo de calidad. Con un estilo conciso y sin florituras, es una guía muy recomendable para todo escritor que quiera ahondar en la base de este oficio, las historias. Muy recomendable para evitar que te pierdas en la forma y te concentres en el fondo.

[Karl El-Koura · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming book culled from Algis Budrys' articles in various places, especially his own magazine Tomorrow SF. Describes his views on what a story is (including why the written-story is not the story-story, and why writing is not the reverse of reading) and explains his 7-point structure for stories.

[Danuta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was taught to write by poets, so I missed some important aspects of story construction in my writing journey--namely, how to plot. This is the book for that. It is also a book about the craft of being a writer as much as it is about learning the writing craft. It is concise, clear and completely to the point. One of my best reads all year.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Straightforward and written in a friendly, approachable tone this book lays out the 7 key factors needed for any story to be whole.

Great resource because if it’s lack of bulk and/or rambling that so many books of this kind seem to possess.

[Serena W. Sorrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very basic, easy to understand, approachable writing guide. I read an article lauding this book, suggesting that if writers read the book and used the words inside to write one short story each month for a year their craft would improve dramatically. I believe it. And will be trying it.

[Kath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding short that provides well written directions for writing stories!

[Jerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Timeless advice delivered in crystal clear language. I've heard all this before but wish I had this clarity of instruction years ago. The appendix had some good essays as well, except one that got a bit trippy and seemed to be recommending mind altering substances for idea generation. I was skimming at that point, so maybe I misunderstood something. Anyway a great read.

[David Macpherson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A smart concise work on how to structure short stories for success. It all made sense, though the last essay, about science fiction, was a little dense and took away from my total enjoyment of the book a little bit.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very specific and narrowly focused, this is the book to have if you want to get stories published in science fiction magazines.