Movies in the Mind: How to Build a Short Story

by Colleen Mariah Rae

A Writer's Digest Book Club featured selection, Movies in the Mind brings her celebrated workshops to the page. A must for every writer of fiction from novice to novelist. This indispensable tool for tapping creativity and moving through writer's block contains inspiring exercises and a recommended bibliography.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction

142 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2000

Reviews

[A.B. Patterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some parts of this one worked for me, some didn't. Rae does make some good points along the way, which I found useful, but most of the account is very much her personal experience of writing. Now, that is interesting in itself, but her approach isn't necessarily going to fit everyone else.
Still, overall it is still worth a read.

[Steven · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could see this book being quite helpful for certain beginning writers but it was very specific to the author's process, supported by copious quotes from her journals and finished work, and one she says has been quite successful in her workshops, so who am I to judge that direct experience. Wasn't a fit for me, however, except for one exercise that she calls "Method Writing" that I have used frequently: "I want you to do method writing for at least fifteen minutes every day. One day writer from anger; the next write from that bittersweet feeling. Write from grief, happiness, rage, ecstasy." I do think focusing free-writing from a specific emotion pays way more dividends and most certainly will generate material that will end up in your finished work than using free-writing as a "clearing" technique.

[Emma Sea · Rating 5 out of 5]

*looks at book, looks at average rating, looks back to book*
How is this rated so low?

This book is amazing. Best book on fiction writing that I've read. Rae shares with readers a first draft of a short story, excerpts from her writing journals, and the final version, and describes how the story evolved, and why, to illustrate the processes she discusses.

The excerpts from other writers she includes are wonderful.¹ The writing is smooth and clever and altogether helpful and practical.

I highly recommend this.


¹ Often I find this the most disappointing part of 'how to write' books: look, I love Hunger Games, but I just don't think it's written well. At all. Holding it out as an example, as one book I've read did, makes me look side-eye at the whole thing.