What do you think?
Rate this book
Techniques of Fiction Writing: Measure and Madness
Leon Surmelian expounds on the technique, control and understanding of the poetics of fiction with such zest, humor and vividness that aspiring writers will be enthralled , and inspired to pick up their pens. Surmelian illustrates the many facets of fiction with examples ranging from Flaubert to Joyce, Dostoevsky to Hemingway, analyzing the framework, trends and styles of modern fiction (from blurb).
- GenresWriting
255 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1969
6 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
About the author
Leon Z. Surmelian
4 books4 followersLeon Zaven Surmelian is an Armenian-American author, was born in Trabezond, Turkey (Western Armenia). The most important literary work he did was translating the Armenian Epic, "Daredevils of Sassoun" (1964, Published by the Armenian General Benevolent Union) into English.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 10, 2022
There are basically two types of fiction writing manuals. On the one hand are those that focus on the granular, the specific—how to avoid unclear antecedents, the passive voice, etc. On the other hand are those that are somewhat more meta in their approach, providing everything from theory on voice to plumbing the mysteries of creation’s wellspring.
Ultimately, you gotta ask yourself (punk): Do you want to hear more about the Muse or more about the Oxford comma?
Your answer will determine how much mileage you’re likely to get out of Leon Surmelian’s Techniques of Fiction Writing. For, while his approach is a mixture of the two aforementioned types, he is very much more about the larger questions of why than the more specific questions of how.
His thesis, in brief, is that creativity is a chaotic force, and that trying to restrain it leads to flat prose, lifeless characters. But unbridled creativity results in chaotic or muddled writing that could only be appreciated by Dadaists or fans of Burroughs’ cutup techniques. The key, then, involves a balance between technique and inspiration, applying knowledge and experience sometimes, while surrendering to inspiration and yes, even a touch of madness at others.
The guy is a superlative writer, and there are paragraph-long whacks of breathtaking prose in here that managed to transfuse energy into my bones and brain like a good shot of espresso. But I can imagine some people being turned off by Surmelian’s pronouncements and musings, if what they wanted was the concrete rather than cryptic.
For me, though, it was a nice break from the routine, the mercenary how-to/reader’s digest manuals that tell you how to write to sell. Don’t get me wrong, that’s important, too. Even the whackiest John Kennedy O’Toole or Pynchon or Wallace work will go unappreciated if it goes unread. But sometimes it’s nice to be reminded that “the madman will have his day,” as Surmelian says somewhere near the book’s middle point. Recommended.
Ultimately, you gotta ask yourself (punk): Do you want to hear more about the Muse or more about the Oxford comma?
Your answer will determine how much mileage you’re likely to get out of Leon Surmelian’s Techniques of Fiction Writing. For, while his approach is a mixture of the two aforementioned types, he is very much more about the larger questions of why than the more specific questions of how.
His thesis, in brief, is that creativity is a chaotic force, and that trying to restrain it leads to flat prose, lifeless characters. But unbridled creativity results in chaotic or muddled writing that could only be appreciated by Dadaists or fans of Burroughs’ cutup techniques. The key, then, involves a balance between technique and inspiration, applying knowledge and experience sometimes, while surrendering to inspiration and yes, even a touch of madness at others.
The guy is a superlative writer, and there are paragraph-long whacks of breathtaking prose in here that managed to transfuse energy into my bones and brain like a good shot of espresso. But I can imagine some people being turned off by Surmelian’s pronouncements and musings, if what they wanted was the concrete rather than cryptic.
For me, though, it was a nice break from the routine, the mercenary how-to/reader’s digest manuals that tell you how to write to sell. Don’t get me wrong, that’s important, too. Even the whackiest John Kennedy O’Toole or Pynchon or Wallace work will go unappreciated if it goes unread. But sometimes it’s nice to be reminded that “the madman will have his day,” as Surmelian says somewhere near the book’s middle point. Recommended.
February 25, 2024
4.5 Read this for school and would probably have rated it a 5 star if I had been able to take more time with it instead of having to get it done for an assignment
January 18, 2013
This is easily the best book on writing I've read. Inspirational, in fact. Beyond that, Mr. Surmelian has a fine handle on attitudes, ideas, cultures, societies, and how this affects writing. He understands the limitations of "America" and the forces at work in our writers; he understands the strengths and uniqueness as well. He understands the changes in human history, and the similarities of experience, of writing, that connect us to the ancients. His examples come from Woolf, Joyce, Flaubert, Dostoyevsky, Anderson, Chekhov, Aristotle. No phoney baloney. He identifies the faces in the crowd who read "romance" novels and why---as in "A Kiss Before Bedtime" kindof romance. You will not find a more balanced, convincing, and clear explanation anywhere regarding that writing tip/cliche "show don't tell." Yes, the book focuses mostly on mechanics such as author's point of view, stream of consciousness, etc., but there is a great feel of literature, history, and human experience weaving through it all.
"The writer knows not what mysterious power dwells within him. When roused by it, he is sometimes astonished by the things he says, and does. He cannot tell from where his best ideas come, what guides his fingers on a blank sheet of paper and casts a glow over his prose. He is in a state of continuous surprises, and what is new and delightful to his readers was new and delightful to him when he was fool enough to wrestle with chaos and the word came to his aid, the word put method in his madness and enabled him to impose order on the disorder of reality.
Other pleasures pale beside the creative surprises of the writer. He needs no other entertainment when carried away by this impulse. Spurred by inspiration; curbed by measure; cut, mutilated, writing out of his own bleeding wounds; knowing he is probably the most absurd of men; he cannot help himself, he does what he must. He attempts even the impossible. And he is often amazed by his success and the wonder of it all."
"The writer knows not what mysterious power dwells within him. When roused by it, he is sometimes astonished by the things he says, and does. He cannot tell from where his best ideas come, what guides his fingers on a blank sheet of paper and casts a glow over his prose. He is in a state of continuous surprises, and what is new and delightful to his readers was new and delightful to him when he was fool enough to wrestle with chaos and the word came to his aid, the word put method in his madness and enabled him to impose order on the disorder of reality.
Other pleasures pale beside the creative surprises of the writer. He needs no other entertainment when carried away by this impulse. Spurred by inspiration; curbed by measure; cut, mutilated, writing out of his own bleeding wounds; knowing he is probably the most absurd of men; he cannot help himself, he does what he must. He attempts even the impossible. And he is often amazed by his success and the wonder of it all."
January 6, 2020
This is a sensational treatise on fiction craft and Mr. Surmelian shows a deep knowledge of the interworking of fiction. An example here is the link between how P.O.V. is related to genre conventions and understanding how perspectives are commonly used within a genre. What makes this absolutely fascinating is that this is never a fact directly explained, but rather an intuition I developed while reading this book as he portrays the advantages and disadvantages of perspective making blatantly apparent how genre conventions prefer certain usage. Mr. Surmelian never dictates how to write and instead provides broad strokes and general rules so where a reader thinks they have found a maxim it began as an intuition.
All in all a fantastic peace. However, I do have some minor criticisms. This book has some linguistic artifacts that make it clear it is culturally dated; I will not say it aged well or poorly but rather we can see the wrinkles in it. Something I find harms the work is Mr. Surmelian's preference for literary fiction; another artifact of the aging. This book is from a time when genre fiction of any sort was viewed as second-rate compared to what might be considered "literature" and it harms the point he makes as it shows an apparent bias.
If the reader can overlook how the book is not totally relevant to modern times the lessons that can be gleamed from this book are both inspirational and timeless.
All in all a fantastic peace. However, I do have some minor criticisms. This book has some linguistic artifacts that make it clear it is culturally dated; I will not say it aged well or poorly but rather we can see the wrinkles in it. Something I find harms the work is Mr. Surmelian's preference for literary fiction; another artifact of the aging. This book is from a time when genre fiction of any sort was viewed as second-rate compared to what might be considered "literature" and it harms the point he makes as it shows an apparent bias.
If the reader can overlook how the book is not totally relevant to modern times the lessons that can be gleamed from this book are both inspirational and timeless.
September 7, 2019
Classic book on fiction writing. The author of "The Secret Life of Bees" recommended it in a afterword
to her book. Measure refers to writing technique. Madness refers to unbridled imagination. I learned a lot from the book and recommend it for anyone wanting to improve writing technique.
to her book. Measure refers to writing technique. Madness refers to unbridled imagination. I learned a lot from the book and recommend it for anyone wanting to improve writing technique.
July 20, 2025
In a market flooded with books on fiction writing, some written by literary agents, this book written by a Turkish American writer is the only one I've found worth reading. Particularly important are the chapters on when to use first versus third person narration and how to use interior monologues.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews