Guide to Fiction Writing

by Phyllis A. Whitney

A guide to fiction writing.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Reference

141 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Phyllis Ayame Whitney (1903 – 2008) was an American mystery writer. Rare for her genre, she wrote mysteries for both the juvenile and the adult markets, many of which feature exotic locations. A review in The New York Times once dubbed her "The Queen of the American Gothics".

She was born in Japan to American parents and spent her early years in Asia. Whitney wrote more than seventy novels. In 1961, her book The Mystery of the Haunted Pool won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Juvenile novel, and she duplicated the honor in 1964, for The Mystery of the Hidden Hand. In 1988, the MWA gave her a Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement. Whitney died of pneumonia on February 8, 2008, aged 104.

Reviews

[C. (Comment, never msg). · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up with Phyllis Ayame Whitney, 104 year-old ‘Grand Mistress Of Fiction’. Ignore romance- or antiquated-looking covers. We are engaged by everyday feelings in suspenseful paces. She was a professional plotter, in distinct settings that were meticulously-researched. There is a reason she published 100 mysteries for adults and children; beginning only at age 40. I wondered how this was possible, how she turned ideas into that staggering output. “Guide To Fiction Writing”, 1982, gives us the privilege of her answer.

For a fan, this is a precious conversation with Phyllis. Even today, authors are seldom interviewed on television and there was no internet through which to hear about her. As an author-in-training; this guide identified my needs and spurred me on with such specificity to me personally that it was nearly haunting! For example, she warns us to not falsely feel productive by hovering in a research stage but to ensure we move towards beginning to WRITE! I had just finished Stephen King’s “Danse Macabre”, 1981, an excellent essay about horror. It happened to precede Phyllis’ tutorial by one year and to my surprise, she praises it in her book.

Her blunt revelations about things that tick readers off are striking and how to do better than turn out a decent book. We can stand out with “a plus factor”. Phyllis appeals to me directly: a beginner who was unsure what to do. I’d like to write scenes that come to mind, rather than plan everything but notes are invaluable for keeping up momentum, until our fingers are weaving magic again. She uplifts me by declaring that the earliest efforts I’m making now, matter! Amazingly, she succeeds at getting me to start and focus on my manuscript! I can’t rave enough that Phyllis created an extraordinarily helpful, memorable discussion.

[da AL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where was this book all my life? Written years ago yet still fab in how it simplifies & encourages.

[Kimberly Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very helpful book for writers regardless of their level. I took a lot of notes that I will apply in the future.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have the original edition, but it's the same book. I finished the book and it has helped me with what I need to do to organize my thoughts for writing. I hope you enjoy it.

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

First writing book that I really read. Still go back to it because I loved the way she set up everything, very organized.

[Susan Oleksiw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phyllis Whitney was a prolific writer of mysteries for adults and for young people. Her stories belong to an older style, more in the Agatha Christie vein than Stephen King. Nevertheless, they are clever, well written, and fun. She tells a good story. And this is the main point of her guide to writing--tell a good story.

The book is divided into two parts: Methods and Process, and Technique. In the first part she talks about opportunity and writing habits, the necessary preliminaries for writing the novel, what she calls the heart of the matter (the map is not the journey), the plus factor (that indefinable quality a story needs), and what she calls the "force," which might also be called the ability to call up the drive or energy. In the second part she discusses the more practical aspects of writing--structure, suspense, characters, emotion, flashbacks and transitions, revising, and getting published.

This is a short book, barely 141 pages, much shorter than most how-to guides from lesser writers, but it has a depth of honesty and feeling from the author that makes me pause and reread a paragraph. Whitney is very honest about certain aspects of the writing life--too much success too soon, understanding that you can't always understand how it works but discipline means it will work, and the importance of craft.

My copy of the book was a gift from a friend who new Phyllis Whitney. I wrote a review of it, and received an extremely kind note from her at age 97. She died soon after.

[Sincerae Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a couple of ideas for novels upstairs in my brain and jotted down in one of my notebooks, but at this time I'm working on short stories and poetry. Nevertheless Phyllis A. Whitney's book on writing fiction was an encouraging read and gave a lot of fertilizer for thought.

Now many of the techniques and suggestions she presents are not my style. She did loads of preliminary planning on paper before she began to pen a novel. But she says that her preparation style may not be everyone's cup of tea. Some of it sounded like over planning to me, but I could also see the sense in her ideas.

In this book she also gave samples from some of her bestselling novels to demonstrate what to do and what not to do. Even though Guide to Fiction Writing is about writing novels, the author also includes some advice scattered in various places about short story writing. Some of the suggestions she gave about writing novels can also be applied to the short story.

Guide to Fiction Writing covers in a very straight forward manner the entire novel writing process. This is an easy and enjoyable book to read for those who are interested in writing fiction. Phyllis A. Whitney's voice speaks in an cozy and encouraging way.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I've read covering all aspects of writing fiction. It particularly focuses on novels - the author was a published author of many novels, in several genres - but the sections of characterisation, plotting, emotion and so on are relevant to all fiction writers. Indeed. many non-fiction writers would probably benefit from reading this book.

Admittedly it's rather dated. It was published in 1982, so the author was still talking about using a typewriter. The short section on submitting documents for possible publication are also a little out of date in the era of email and useful websites.

But that's the only problem I have with this otherwise excellent book. I first read it about fifteen years ago, when I was only beginning to think about writing seriously, and found it very inspiring. Re-reading this past week has enthused and encouraged me over again.

Sadly long out of print, but highly recommended if you can get hold of it.

[Laura McChristian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Phyllis A. Whitney's books, and now I totally love HER, because I love this book, and...She was a Star Wars fan. I'm so sad she's passed on because she was probably a really cool person to hang with. She would have posted great social media, I just know it.
The BEST I've read on writing fiction - honest and from the heart. Great advice all around. Highly recommended for future and current writers, regardless of the time period. What she says holds true even today.

[Sue Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

She is obviously the best mystery writer in existence and her how to book is great; but if you want to have nightmares while reading her books give them a try. After four I couldn't read another one of them even though they were very well written masterpieces. Sue Maxwell

[Lynzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely the most useful book on writing I've ever read.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was really good. Very well written and a lot of food for thought.

[Corinne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concise and helpful

[Katie Powner]

I stumbled upon this book while searching through the Little Free Library by my house. Even though it looked dated, I figured I'd check it out, and I'm glad I did. It's concise and straightforward and offers some great writing advice.

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was recommended to me as a good resource for would-be writers. It was a quick, easy, and (overall)a pleasant read. I agreed with many of Whitney's suggestions and thought her approach was practical and personable. Her suggestions on the method of writing (how to get organized, etc) were great! On the other hand, some of the suggestions were a little--how should I say--out dated, formulaic, for my taste.

I decided to read some of her fiction to see how she followed her own advice. I have read three of her books and am into a fourth right now (seems like the best so far). What I like best about her style is how her books draw you in and intrigue you right from the beginning, which can be difficult to do. Her stories move quickly and her characters are pretty well developed. She always brings something new and unusual into her novels (like information on cultures,architecture, design, etc). I talked about her books with a friend from work and we both agreed that they remind us of old thriller/suspense movies in this way. Incidentally, Whitney is a self-proclaimed romantic suspense author.

In "Guide," Whitney recommends orienting your reader always, which is sound advice, but I think she takes it too far. While readers will get annoyed if you don't orient them, Whitney's constant reminders feel repetitive and unnecessary. She can get caught up in excessive description. Her plots sometimes feel formulaic and follow certain patterns in each book.

Generally, I enjoyed her guide to fiction writing, and I enjoy her fiction as lighter reading. The guide has good pointers (particularly for a beginner, like me), but I do not agree with all of them simply because my style is different. Definitely recommended for someone who wants to write their own stuff and needs a nudge.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not a bad book on writing, however most of the information found here is so basic as to be almost intuitive. The things she spends a lot of time writing about are generally all things you would have guessed about writing already. Also, some of the advice is very dated in that it was given long before everybody had a computer and could do research on the net.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an easy, quick read for anyone interested in doing a little fiction writing. It is very much a basic introduction to writing fiction and can feel a bit patronizing at times. As for the actual content of the book, a good portion of it is common sense but I did find several concepts that struck me as intelligent and well thought out.

[Phillip · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is rather dated, but the material remains as relevant as ever. There were plenty of great tips on how to write fiction, from plot to setting, as well as characterization. A great help for my own writing.

[Karin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in 1982, I wasn't sure about this book at first, but someone recommended it so I thought I'd try it.

This was such a refreshing read. It isn't a universal writing book (if you do this, then this will happen), but it really is a look at Whitney's writing process. With 75 published novels from 1941-1997, she obviously had some success, but what I appreciate about her approach is that she simply explains what worked for her (passed away in 2008).

I've read quite a few writing books, so I found it fascinating how many things have changed as well as how many have stayed the same. She discusses many things that we have different names for these days, but the basics are the same. I especially appreciated her comments on how many new writers make excuses and fear edits. I hear the same things today, including comments about how it was easier to publish "back in the day," but Whitney's book makes it clear that most of the struggles are still the same.

If you're looking for a new approach to writing books, it's definitely worth picking up -- sometimes we tune out tips because we've heard the same phrases over and over again, and her different terms and styles make you pay attention. There are a few things to keep in mind though:

1. Flashbacks, Transitions, & Time: Some of that chapter will apply for those writing dual/split timeline novels, but flashbacks are a bit out of style in the 2020s.
2. Getting Your Novel Published: Most of this info is outdated. Ignore her tips on working the process (of submitting and agents--those no longer apply), but heed her encouragement on surviving the process (it's a marathon, not a sprint).

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd never heard of Phyllis Whitney, or of this book, until I saw a chance reference to it and took a punt. Very glad I did: it's about the simplest and best guide to planning a novel that I've come across. No fancy theory, nothing hi-falutin, just a way of organising notes so that ideas for plot, character and setting can develop in parallel and at the same time, all the while keeping track of progress and of research material. And, as a corollary, it also becomes blindingly obvious if any of the key aspects are developing significantly faster, or slower, than the others. I am re-energised.

It's now forty years old, so the later chapters dealing with submission and publication aren't as helpful as the earlier ones on planning and preparation. Nonetheless, helpful and highly recommended.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Motivational! Clear, sound advice on how to write your novel. I particularly liked Phyllis' advice about saying something worth saying. And, although the notebook is a valuable tool, you must eventually WRITE!

I received a copy of the book through an inter-library loan as it's hard to come by. Because I loved it so much, I've ordered a used copy from thriftbooks.com which I should receive soon. I think it's a good book to read over and over.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much sage advice for writers or aspiring writers of fiction. She states that she always wanted to write, not that she wanted to be a writer. Ironically, although I found most of her advice and rules to be sound, I didn't think much of the excerpts of her own published works that she provided as examples! Her style and phrasing seemed very awkward to me, but that could have just been a style preference on my part.

[Treasure Island Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a marvelous find this book was! Whitney's advice on writing is detailed, generous, and specific. Though the book was written before the advent of computer submissions and internet access, the writing advice holds true. Anybody who wants to write fiction can benefit from reading Whitney's guide. Highly recommended.

[G.G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phyllis A. Whitney's book Guide to Fiction Writing is still a fount of knowledge gained from experience and persistence. Whitney wrote 70 novels, traveled the world for research and wrote well into her 90s. She even divorced her first husband because he didn't support her writing. While it doesn't cover ebooks and such, the basics are all there.

[Abigail Robson · Rating 4 out of 5]

From a personal standpoint this book felt redundant, but for absolute beginners I can see this book being an amazing resource to read. The technology is dated, but it's from 1982. Replace typewriter with a google doc and you're ready to go. Her strategy for organizing content was the most helpful I got out of the book but again that's from a personal standpoint.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in 1982 so dated from a technology standpoint but still great information written in an encouraging way for beginning writers. Examples from her own work effectively used to illustrate points.

[Donna Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book with practical tips on organizing, plotting and getting your book written.

[J.W. Ellenhall · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a writer, I recommend this book 1,000,000% to anyone in the industry. This book explains the:
* mindset
* writing process
*editing checklist
* revision approaches
*connections
*drive

you need to be a professional writer with a shot at making serious money as a fiction author. I feel totally inspired now. RIP & thank you to great author Phyllis Whitney.

And BTW, I got this book recommendation from Susanna Kearsley’s website, where she says how this book helped her get her big break.

UPDATE: This book inspired me so much that I quoted her discussion about the "best time" to break into traditional publishing as a debut author in my blog here:

On
myth-busting why it's the "Worst Time Ever" (Except they've always said that, & I have the case studies to prove it.)

[Mimi Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an easy to follow, full of knowledge book. This is the book Id put into the hands of anyone who wants to become a better writer.