The Story Cure: A Book Doctor's Pain-Free Guide to Finishing Your Novel or Memoir

by Dinty W. Moore

A collection of cures for writer's block, plotting and characterization issues, and other ailments writers face when completing a novel or memoir, prescribed by the director of creative writing at Ohio University.People want to write the book they know is inside of them, but they run into stumbling blocks that trouble everyone from beginners to seasoned writers. Drawing on his years of teaching at both the university level and at writing workshops across the country, Professor Dinty W. Moore dons his book-doctor hat to present an authoritative guide to curing the issues that truly plague writers atall levels. His hard-hitting handbook provides inspiring solutions for diagnoses such as character anemia, flat plot, and silent voice, and is peppered with flashes of Moore's signature wit and unique take on the writing life.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Memoir, Crafts, Reference, How To

183 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 2, 2017

About the author

Dinty W. Moore is author of the award-winning memoir Between Panic & Desire, the writing guides The Story Cure and Crafting the Personal Essay, and many other books. He has published essays and stories in The Georgia Review, Harper’s, The New York Times Magazine, The Southern Review, Kenyon Review, Creative Nonfiction, and elsewhere. He is founding editor of Brevity, the journal of flash nonfiction, and teaches master classes and workshops across the United States as well as in Ireland, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, Canada, and Mexico.

Reviews

[Pamela (Here to Read Books and Chew Gum) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a tough one to rate, as I can't say that any of the advice in the book was poor. Dinty W. Moore clearly knows a lot about writing, and I'd love to take one of his classes, but unfortunately the way the whole book was set up simply didn't give the information the weight it deserved. How To Write books are a dime a dozen these days. They're everywhere and of varying quality. To set yourself apart, you really need to try and do something different. The Story Cure certainly tries to do that. Setting the book up as an ailment/diagnosis/cure scenario was a really unique way of setting up a how to book. The problem is that it failed to make the information accessible. The prompts and help were trapped between layers of unnecessary exposition and winding examples and metaphors that, while interesting to read for the most part, seemed only to serve to pad out a book that was sparse on information and long on prose.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am (in theory) the perfect person to read this book. I have been working on a memoir/novel for...wait for it...forty years. Yup. And I haven't finished.

Oh how I want a story cure.

I'm still waiting.

I love Dinty W. Moore. He's a marvelous writer and (I bet) he's a marvelous teacher. But this book didn't do it for me. For whatever reason. It's filled with oodles and oodles of diagnoses ("You just can't find the opening sentence," for example) and cures, but I couldn't use the cure because I couldn't figure out what diagnosis applies to my book, and that's a deal breaker here.

[Marian Beaman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dinty W. Moore The Story Cure: A Book Doctor’s Pain-Free Guide to Finishing Your Novel or Memoir

Book Doctor Dinty Moore, though not an M.D, uses medical lingo to provide diagnoses and cures for writers’ ailments of all sorts. In a 173-page volume with a subtitle A Book Doctor’s Pain-Free Guide to Finishing Your Novel or Memoir, the author explains how to get to the heart of your story – and return to it when you’re stuck.

Prize-winning author and writing coach, Moore affirms that your well-written story will propel readers along an Invisible Magnetic River, one in which they will forget they are reading prose but actually believe they are IN the story itself.

His story cure contains two parts: Cures and Checkups: Your first breath, he advises, sets “everything in motion, starts the dominoes tumbling forward.” Moore proceeds with a prescription for healthy writing, including tips for developing memorable characters, vivid dialogue and immersive setting. Readers who write then undergo a lifeblood test with recommendations for imagining scene and sensory detail.

Voice and point of view are explored in a visit with the throat and eye doctor. “Take your calcium,” the author seems to admonish, as he outlines a prescription for a strong skeleton of plot and structure.

Amply illustrated with excellent prose from Joseph Conrad, Charles Dickens, Joan Didion, Lee Martin and Cheryl Strayed, Moore’s prescription pad provides solutions for the aches and pains most novelists and memoirists experience.

I wish I had encountered this book in the early stages of my own memoir writing. I may have able to navigate the labyrinth of storytelling easier and with more confidence. For certain, I probably would have discovered the heart of my story much sooner.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an interesting book on writing. As a creative writing student, and having read many books on the craft in my time, I would like to think I'm fairly knowledgeable.

One thing that I found really fresh was the whole "book doctor" thing. It was a really new and interesting... but the downside is, that it did seem childish. I was unsure about who the author intended to write the book before; sometimes, it seemed to be intending to adults, and other times, it was too simplistic.

I'll do other good things first: the author was very good at giving advise on revising novels. I found what he said very helpful, and there were also (albeit fairly simplistic) pieces of advice that I think I will try and carry with my in my writing. He made a good use of other author's quotes and passages, too, although I felt like occasionally there was an over-reliance on them.

That's why I gave it two stars: because, to be frank, the advice was good. HOWEVER.

1) firstly, the metaphor of the "book doctor" ran on a bit, was a bit too deep and sometimes it just seemed filler to make the book longer. Also, I found some bits quite offensive, like when he was discussing "happy pills". Like, what? Aside from the fact that this has NOTHING TO DO WITH WRITING, it was handled insensitively, and it made me unhappy and tentative to read the rest of the book.
2) The author was OBSESSED with divorce and affairs. Seriously. The guy has obviously written some memoir in his time, and I'm guessing that something happened to him because it was in every chapter as an example of a memoir. It was boring. It was unhappy.
3) He was not funny... and actually had to explain his jokes. .-.
4) He used his own writing in the exercises. This could be pulled off well, but sometimes the 'extracts' (he invented them for the novel which is why they're in inverted commas) were over a page long and he'd already used other extracts from different, published novels.

All in all, I won't be recommending this book to anyone else. He offered some good advice, and some things I could remember for later writing, but overall I found it lacklustre, over-reliance on himself, and insensitive.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

[Susan Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve often said that everyone has a story to tell. Most people dream about writing their book, but many of them soon find the process to be much more difficult than they’d ever imagine. The Story Cure is described as “a collection of cures for writer's block, plotting and characterization issues, and other ailments writers face when completing a novel or memoir, prescribed by the director of creative writing at Ohio University.” Written by well-known author and director of the MA and PhD in Creative Writing programs at Ohio University, Dinty W. Moore, The Story Cure is that and so much more.

I’ve read several how-to books on writing and I have to say that The Story Cure is by far my favorite. The book is filled with extremely practical and specific information on how to go about finally completing a novel, and is told in a highly entertaining, encouraging and motivational way. I’ve found most other writing how-to books to be either too vague or far too genre specific. Mr. Moore has written a book that will be of value to practically any would-be author.

The Story Cure is distinctively clever. By using a “symptom checker, diagnosis and cure” format, the author has made his book wonderfully unique and incredibly simple to use as a go-to reference guide. I especially appreciated Chapter 2, “Your First Breath” (Where Story Begins). As an avid reader, if a book doesn’t draw me in almost immediately I usually abandon it quickly. The section on “Bad Beginnings” was spot on AND humorous. The entire book is filled with this kind of excellent advice.

I’d highly recommend The Story Cure to anyone who has been thinking about writing a book, is in the process of writing a book or thinks that he or she is finished writing a book. Don’t hit publish until you’ve read Story Cure. Thanks to Blogging for Books and the publisher for providing a complimentary copy of this book!

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton, https://ebookreviewgal.com

[Amanda Tero · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were good elements to this book. I copied down over a dozen "quotes to remember." But when I think of the book as a whole, it kind of left a bad taste in my mouth. First of all, I can't say that this book was Christian at all. It definitely wasn't conservative. There were both mentions about gods and them being created "to explain thunder, floods, births, deaths, the inexplicable movements of the sun" as well as a reference to "Christian myths." Add to that, there was a bit of "mild cussing" and one explicit scene that I really could have lived without reading (plus a few other adult-topic scenes). I would not hand this book to a young and aspiring writer--it was probably written more for "adult aspiring writers" though the presentation of the book made me think "younger reader."

Having read a few other books on writing, this book didn't really shed any light for me (I'm not lowering my rating because of that; the lowered rating is because of "content" that I personally don't like). The main thing that stands out to me as "learned something new" was when he broke down the story structure and gave a few pages about the various types of story structure.

Moore did a great job with presenting the information in a very understandable fashion and if you like parallels such as "the story structure and plot are your skeleton" then this is a book you'd enjoy. The references to doctor offices and body parts was both amusing and slightly corny, but it worked. I mean, it's the "Story Cure" by the "Book Doctor."

Being a fiction writer and not a memoir writer, there were a few parts that weren't applicable to me. I would say that it was a nice balance of help for both genre-writers out there.

*I received this book from Blogging for Books and was permitted to give my honest review*

[Renée · Rating 5 out of 5]

In THE STORY CURE, Dinty W. Moore offers a lovely, helpful craft book with a fresh, supportive tone. Each section has a gem to offer (and more)--an exercise, a quote, a frame. It's never overwhelming, and it will be super useful if you are s t u c k to help you get u n s t u c k. It's an accessible read: not too hot, not too cold, but just right. Xo

[Wendy Bunnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm just getting around to review a couple of books that I'd read recently. I'm reading faster than I can review them. But, I knew I didn't need to hurry to review this book (even though I'd already returned it to the library), as I wasn't afraid to forget the book because I took notes. Yes, that's right, I typed up notes while I was reading this book. I've actually attached the best sections of my notes below, in case you're looking for the condensed version, but this book is worth reading.

Ok, I'm reading quite a few books on writing lately, as I'm also trying to do more writing. And, I actually like reading The Irresistable Novel better than this one, and there are a couple reasons:
1.) the author's tone was a little more smug, a little less open to different authors making their own choices, and
2.) the whole "doctor" conceit seemed a little contrived, as our brilliant book doctor had the one right diagnosis and one right treatment for every conceivable book aliment.

I really did enjoy though seeing the different structure options and the plot twist generator, so I've listed those both, below:

Structure options

Chronological - strictly in time order
Framed or bookend - start and end in one scene, but with flashbacks / stories told in between
In media res - the middle of the action, with necessary backstory filled in later
Segmented - distinct blocks of story, with changing perspective
Braided - characters overlapping over time, each strand a separate narrative, but all connected in some way, brought together in the end.
Backwards - start at the end, work way backwards - how did this character end up like this?
Epistolary - letters, emails, other static communications back and forth
Experimental - alphabetized list, maps and geographical locales, ???

To make your plot less “predictable” think about your protagonist:
What would he/she do in this situation
What mistakes would he make
What is he avoiding / afraid of
What did he expect to happen / how is that expectation dead wrong
What forces outside are going to move a foreseeable outcome into something erratic and volatile?

Overall, it was worth the read, and maybe even taking some notes. That is if you care about such things because you're interested in writing a novel or memoir. If you're not, you'll probably wonder why on earth there is so much focus on the craft of writing, as anyone with a pen can write. Right?

[Rosemary Rey · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an Indie writer, I'm always seeking information on the craft of writing. I was intrigued by the premise of a "Book Doctor," A title/role I learned about on TV show--where publishers hire ghostwriters to mend a broken book or incomplete manuscript. I went into reading this book with hopes that I would find new and innovative ways to approach the act of writing. I will say that there were some things that I have taken away from this book. I think this is a good resource for writers starting out.

[Kristin Boldon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great, concise guide to getting through to the end that even so focuses on craft and creativity. Just a really good book on writing a book. Great exercises and examples.

[Eustacia Tan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since I've been too tired to write or revise my stories recently, I decided to use the little free time I have to continue learning more about writing. I saw this book on Netgalley and thought it sounded interesting.

The Story Cure has two main sections: Cures (problems that occur when you're writing your first draft) and Checkups (revision and other things). Cures is the longer section and it covers topics like: getting to the heart of the story (I liked this the best because it was the most original part), starting a story, writing good scenes, dialogue and settings, and even plot. Most of the instructions about story elements can be found in other writing books, but the advice does seem very sound. The heart of the story chapter was the most interesting, and probably what ties all the story elements together because it's about hooking the reader and keeping his/her attention.

Checkups basically covers revision, habits (like writing daily) and last comments. It feels more like an afterword, but I think that if you're a new writer trying to finish a first draft, this will be helpful advice for you.

Did I get something valuable from this?

Yup. The advice is solid and I like the way examples (good and bad) were used to illustrate the points. If you're the type that needs to read it (especially bad examples) to know what to do or what to avoid, this will be helpful.

Is this THE writing book?

I don't think so. Then again, I don't think that there's a perfect writing book. If you've been writing for a while, you may find most of the advice repetitive, but if you're a new writer or want a refresher, then this book may be useful for you.

Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review.

This review was first posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dinty Moore writes his book in a very conversational tone, which is something I really admire. It is like sitting down and having a talk with the author. I have talked to the author myself on a drive from the airport to a conference last fall. His writing is very similar to his speaking. I really admire Mr. Moore a lot. I love how the book is formatted into a description of different writing problems, diagnoses, and then cures in the form of exercises. There is a lot of hearty advice written within the pages of this book. The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five is that I felt the book could have gone a little more in depth on some of the subject matter. It comes in under 200 pages, so I think readers would have gone for a little more "meat" in the book. Still the lessons it teaches are very practical. However, I didn't feel there was much said in the book that hadn't been said before in other books. Maybe I read too many books on craft, but I am always looking for new viewpoints for examining my own writing. Some of the exercises are really worth pursuing. I particularly liked how he suggested experimenting with imitation in order to find your own way of writing something. For example, the first set of exercises on writing the first line were very helpful to me. I rewrote my first line of my work-in-progress in several styles and it helped me see how it could be more concise or even altogether different from what I was writing. I struggle with the first line a lot. In fact, I usually just dive into writing and just avoid the first line altogether until I am in the later editing phases. But I digress. As helpful as parts of the book are, other parts kind of sagged for me and I found myself skimming them. Still, I enjoyed reading it and enjoyed talking to Mr. Moore when I had the chance. I would definitely not only read this book again, but the next time I read it, I will probably purchase it (borrowed it from a library the first time).

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read a lot of books about writing books recently and, I can definitely say that The Story Cure is one of the more useful ones. It's written with wit and humor which makes it fun to read, rather than a chore. The chapters, which range from focusing on issues such as character and dialogue to plot and structure, each contain useful exercises. I especially like the focus on trying to keep a magnetic river running throughout a story to keep the reader involved. I think the author has a knack of providing examples and suggestions which really opened my eyes about how to create a more engaging piece of work.

What I particularly appreciated, is that this book is short, sweet and to the point. It doesn't take a lifetime to read it and work through the exercises. In the end, its very helpful and it lets the aspiring writer get back to his or her own story, which will hopefully be much improved.


Thanks to Blogging for Books for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
More reviews at: www.susannesbooklist.blogspot.com

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I join others who have worked on the memoirs for years who read this book for help. Because it is written for both the novelist and the memoist, it does not do all. BUT! It does give inspirational hints on how I could flesh out my narrative type story into something that my adult children might actually read and enjoy. The story doctor tells me I need to give details and make the reader see and feel what I thought, felt, and found in the scenes of my time and places in a way that would be a storytelling mode if I read it out loud.

Recently on NRP I heard a program where people were permitted to tell a significant happening in their lives to an audience for 20 minutes. Some could tell it well and some were shy and without passion.

So the book and the radio program will encourage me to have a different look at what I have done so I can tantalize the reader by giving out "tributaries" of my life while keeping in mind the main "river" that pushed me towards what I have become and did in life.

[Ally Web · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am trying to polish up my first novel now as well as start the second in the series for NaNoWriMo. I thought this would be a handy read, or even give me a few tips I haven't read before. This is the first time I've read this author. Would I read him again? maybe. It wasn't bad. I actually feel like I learned quite a bit. Though, I would be shocked if he could go into deeper detail than he did in this book. Each of his points felt over explained in my opinion. The quotes help me put my thoughts in order, but I found myself skimming after the original detail was laid out.

I think this was aimed more at the first time writer, and not so much someone who has multiple stories in the making. That being said, I found myself adding a lot of notes to my Scrivener files to consider later. Any book has something to learn, and I would have loved to have this before I started my first book. I'm giving this a 3.5/5.
(I received a copy for review)

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, I think this book had some great advice to offer the average person writing a book. If you are looking to do edits and re-writes he gives some very simple advice. Second, I thought he very helpful tips that I can use daily in writing. I think the doctor metaphor to writing was an interesting one that I never heard of and it gave a unique perspective, but it was a bit rundant. I also felt that although he touched on memoirs including some experiences that happened in his own life, it did not add to improving my writing. He included some writing exercises, but I didn't always find them helpful, nor were they engaging. I think this book has some practical and helpful advice, but I wouldn't buy it at the store. I give this book 3/5 stars. I think as a first time-writer I expected a lot more and this book fell way short of what it could have been.

[Melissa]

I read every writing craft book my library has available, and each one has at least a little something I take from it. I’m editing a book I wrote right now, and this book’s suggestion that the very end should thematically match the beginning was kind of a lightbulb for me. It wouldn’t be difficult for me to make that happen, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what is wrong with the very end of my book. Now I have ideas for fixing it. I also liked the idea of locating the emotional undercurrent of the story and making sure every scene furthers it. He calls this the “Invisible Magnetic River” that flows underneath the story. I probably will forget that title, but I’ll remember the point. It’s one that the last few books on writing have also really helped me to grasp: the story-unifying power of theme.

[R.l. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The problem with books on writing is that there are so many of them and there's only so much you can read about the subject before it starts to feel boring. If this had been one of the first books I'd read on the craft, I would have loved it. Unfortunately, it's not the first one I've read. I've read many. And while this one is unique in the format (each chapter is set up as a symptom-diagnosis-cure kind of thing), the writing tips themselves are nothing new. So, like I said, if you've not read tons of these kinds of books, you'll benefit by reading this one. Otherwise, you've probably read it all before. Can't hurt to add it to your library, though.
Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Via Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the full review here: http://viabella-thebeautifullife.blog...

When you are writing a book and get stuck, it's good to get a little bit of help, even if it means going back to the basics a little bit.

In a day in age where it's easy to slip into the many things we want to do or say in a book, it's nice to read something that takes it back to the basics.

This book has been helpful to re-guide me in my own writing on some level. Because it is a matter of bringing to a point or two rather than to take it in many different directions.

Some people may think that this book is just for beginners but I would argue that even the most potent of writers can use this book to help guide them back to the basics.

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much of the same advice found in other how-to writing guides: show don't tell; catch people's interest from the start; just write even if you don't have the perfect words--you can always revise later; listen to people talk and write your dialog based on what you hear, cadence and all; figure out what your main character wants more than anything else and keep that in mind throughout; remember the classic story arc and stick to it; etc. Good use of passages from literary greats (Dickens, Austin, Hemingway, Conrad) to show (not tell) the reader examples of a catchy first sentence, great dialog, or setting the scene. Short exercises seem simplistic but possibly helpful in focusing the struggling writer and helping him/her find the right path. Good overview of novel structure options as well.

[Mary Kenyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dinty Moore’s advice in The Story Cure: A Book Doctor’s Pain-Free Guide to Finishing Your Novel or Memoir is right on target. In this collection of cures for writer’s block, plotting and characterization issues, and other ailments writers face when completing a novel or memoir, Moore, the director of creative writing at Ohio University, has detailed answers with examples of good writing from other author’s books.

Whether you write fiction or memoir, you need to be able to tell a story, and this book is a must-read for anyone struggling with writer’s block, problems with their plot or story line, or simply inspiration.

[C.M. Lind · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short book delivers what it promises: it will help you figure out what is wrong with your story so you can finish your project. It's absolutely perfect for when you're stuck asking, "Oh, crap. What happens next? What am I even doing?"

Dinty does this all with an engaging voice, the right amount of humor, and welcomed brevity. There are a lot of fundamentals in the book, so you might find yourself jumping around, but the return to basics is a good way to help you figure out just what you're overlooking.

I read this through my library, but I found it enjoyable and useful enough that I'll be buying my own copy to keep at home.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was exactly what I needed to read right now, as I refine my nonfiction manuscript and jot down ideas for a new one. I love that each chapter ends with exercises. I already started to work through some and they have been so useful.

The book is geared toward anyone writing either fiction or nonfiction, and it works. I found it useful as a nonfiction writer and I can see where novelists also could see themselves in the book.

I most appreciated Moore’s consistent “pep talk” throughout the book — again, something I sorely needed right now. And the humor throughout made me smile. This was truly an enjoyable read.

[Erica Lyn Burden · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gentle, friendly troubleshooter book for writing. If you've taken creative writing courses in college, most of the advice will be familiar. It's still worth taking a look at, though, if you are stuck and struggling to get words onto a page.

I recommend buying a copy versus borrowing, as you can use it like a reference book for what you run up against in creative writing. It works well in all genres, including non-fiction and memoirs, and that's actually a rarity in the world of writing books.

[Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Story Cure is a reference book that teaches writers how to write better books. While I enjoyed parts of this book, some of the tips and main themes, I also didn't love this one. Maybe that's just me though, I don't love reading books about how to write.. part of me would rather just write. But it was well written. I give it 3.5/5 stars.

Full review on my blog: http://www.myhopefulstory.com/2017/09...

Huge thank you to Blogging for Books for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Heather Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

I really liked this book but I felt it had a lot of different topics and a little explanation of what those topics were. There were good examples but not enough explanation as to why this resembled whatever piece of Story he was discussing. However, I really appreciated the how to fix sections at the end of each chapter, which isn’t something I see a lot in craft books. Would definitely recommend!

[JAnn Bowers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was definitely written for writers with the flames need to spark every inch inside a writer, It holds valuable information on how to become the writer you always wanted to be but also holds secrets to drive that passion in you to big up the pen & write.

I received this book through NetGalley for a honest review.

[Christina Rause · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, insightful, and still a clear and concise guide to writing and editing with just the right balance of prompts, advice, motivation, and anecdotes. I rarely get through a guide like this so quickly but this one read more like a fun novel than a strict guide so it was a breeze to read, quite enjoyable, and at the same time very useful.

[Tina Layner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this, there was so much good information and descriptions on how to get through you novel as well as how to start the book. I would recommend this to any writers that are just getting started.

I was sent this book from Bloggingforbooks.com in exchange for an honest review.

[Vonetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

A handy little guide to everything I’ve been stuck on in my writing. Thank God for Dinty Moore! The conversational tone made this different from other craft books, as did all the literary examples. I very much enjoyed, and feel inclined to fix my book’s problems after reading this.