What do you think?
Rate this book
The Art of War for Writers: Fiction Writing Strategies, Tactics, and Exercises
Successfully starting and finishing a publishable novel is often like fighting a series of battles - against the page, against one's own self-doubt, against rebellious characters, etc. Featuring timeless, innovative, and concise writing strategies and focused exercises, this book is the ultimate battle plan and more - it's Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" for novelists. Tactics and exercises are provided on idea generation and development, character building, plotting, drafting, querying and submitting, dealing with rejection, coping with envy and unrealistic expectations, and much more.
259 pages, Paperback
First published November 11, 2009
167 people are currently reading
3693 people want to read
About the author
James Scott Bell
132 books1,032 followersJim is a former trial lawyer who now writes and speaks full time. He is the bestselling author of Try Dying, No Legal Grounds, Presumed Guilty, Glimpses of Paradise, Breach of Promise and several other thrillers. He is a winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Inspirational Fiction, and was a fiction columnist for Writers Digest magazine. He has written two books in the Writers' Digest series, Write Great Fiction: Plot & Structure and Revision & Self-Editing.
Jim has taught writing at Pepperdine University and numerous writers conferences. He attended the University of California, Santa Barbara where he studied writing with Raymond Carver.
Series:
* Shannon Saga (with Tracie Peterson)
* The Trials of Kit Shannon
* Ty Buchanan
Jim has taught writing at Pepperdine University and numerous writers conferences. He attended the University of California, Santa Barbara where he studied writing with Raymond Carver.
Series:
* Shannon Saga (with Tracie Peterson)
* The Trials of Kit Shannon
* Ty Buchanan
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 220 reviews
May 2, 2013
I tend to lump writing books into two categories, the inspirational anyone-can-write stuff and the technical understand-your-craft stuff. Instead, this is inspirational understand-your-craft stuff. It's kind of brilliant.
The first section, Reconnaissance, offers ways to mentally prepare for a writing career. Stay hungry, but never appear desperate. Develop improvement programs for aspects of your writing so that you're always learning, even after you're agented and published. Don't compare your career to another writer's (therein lies madness). Stop googling yourself. (LOL.)
The middle section on Tactics covers the must-haves of great fiction and although there are good reminders, the suggestions are not surprising. (They'll be very familiar, in fact, if you've read Bell's other books.) There's still a gem or two in there, like the mini-plan he offers to writers too excited about a project to do any lengthy planning.
The last section, Strategy, is about the publishing business. He offers advice on when, whether, and why to pursue representation by an agent. There are brief sections on time management, professionalism, networking, and handling rejection with grace. I'm always interested in what these books have to say about social media and development of your author platform, and I liked the way Bell summed up his opinion in that section title: "Promote as you will, but never let it affect your ability to write your best book."
I have been devouring technique-oriented books here while spinning my wheels on revisions of my "best book." The author friend that loaned me Bell's Plot & Structure also loaned me this book. I was hungry for the other, but when she handed me this one, too, I was like, "Ugh, that looks inspirational." And, indeed it was, but exactly in the way that I needed. I accidentally spilled coffee on her copy of Plot & Structure. (If you're reading this, don't worry! I bought you a new one!). I liked this so much, I'm tempted to spill coffee on it, too. :)
The first section, Reconnaissance, offers ways to mentally prepare for a writing career. Stay hungry, but never appear desperate. Develop improvement programs for aspects of your writing so that you're always learning, even after you're agented and published. Don't compare your career to another writer's (therein lies madness). Stop googling yourself. (LOL.)
The middle section on Tactics covers the must-haves of great fiction and although there are good reminders, the suggestions are not surprising. (They'll be very familiar, in fact, if you've read Bell's other books.) There's still a gem or two in there, like the mini-plan he offers to writers too excited about a project to do any lengthy planning.
The last section, Strategy, is about the publishing business. He offers advice on when, whether, and why to pursue representation by an agent. There are brief sections on time management, professionalism, networking, and handling rejection with grace. I'm always interested in what these books have to say about social media and development of your author platform, and I liked the way Bell summed up his opinion in that section title: "Promote as you will, but never let it affect your ability to write your best book."
I have been devouring technique-oriented books here while spinning my wheels on revisions of my "best book." The author friend that loaned me Bell's Plot & Structure also loaned me this book. I was hungry for the other, but when she handed me this one, too, I was like, "Ugh, that looks inspirational." And, indeed it was, but exactly in the way that I needed. I accidentally spilled coffee on her copy of Plot & Structure. (If you're reading this, don't worry! I bought you a new one!). I liked this so much, I'm tempted to spill coffee on it, too. :)
August 22, 2018
The last 20% was much less useful as it was all about agents and traditional publishing, but I got a lot out of the first 80%.
February 11, 2018
Trying to structure this like Sun Tzu's classic was an interesting idea, but didn't really work from the start. I get where Mr. bell was trying to go with it, but in the end it just made the book seem a little disorganized and helter-skelter. That was frustrating. Also, the nook never quite seemed to park long enough on any given topic to really unpack it, so I couldn't recommend it as anything but a beginner's guide.
That being said,this book did create its fair share of ah-ha moments for me. Lots of them could be missed if you read them too fast, but they were there. Little sprinkles of writing wisdom. Precious things. For example, I now know how to edit dialogue. And turns out, It's actually simple enough. Exciting stuff.
In the end, Art of War wasn't the best craft book I've ever read, but it was far from a waste of my time.
That being said,this book did create its fair share of ah-ha moments for me. Lots of them could be missed if you read them too fast, but they were there. Little sprinkles of writing wisdom. Precious things. For example, I now know how to edit dialogue. And turns out, It's actually simple enough. Exciting stuff.
In the end, Art of War wasn't the best craft book I've ever read, but it was far from a waste of my time.
June 10, 2011
42 pages in, Bell confirms much of the thinking I've come around to over time about writing. Common sense expressed uncommonly well.
January 16, 2025
Decent book overall when it comes to craft, learning, and actually sitting down to do the writing. Not as good in the business section—the industry has changed a lot since 2009, when this was published! For example, self-publishing is a viable choice nowadays, and it wasn't as much of a thing back then.
November 26, 2021
I view writing advice as taking your weapon to a sharpening stone, or cleaning your gun. It gives you the encouragement of knowing you're on the right track, and provides a fresh round of ammunition for the next stage of the writing journey.
Each chapter is easy to get through, boiled down to the cleanest, most pithy advice Bell could muster. The best exercise was in section 21 when Bell has you take a few of the movies and books that have impacted you most deeply and pick apart the elements that you are passionate about. Including one or more of these elements in each project, he says, adds a deeper level to any book you take on. To keep a high quality of writing, he encourages readers to scan over this list every so often, to make sure they're not getting off track with their main vision. I found that passion points for me were justice, mercy, passion, perseverance, suffering, friendship, and heroes that set my soul on fire.
Another encouraging light bulb moment was in section 29, where he discusses making improvements outside your comfort zone. Sometimes, to really make a character pop off the page (especially for an introverted writer) you have to write their actions and thoughts more explicitly than you yourself would prefer. Bell encouraged writers to delve deeper into the emotions of the character and write it out clearly and vulnerably on paper. I found that to be a rewarding exercise in my last novel rewrite. As Bell says, you can always scale it back later. A couple of times I did--but most times I ended up with a scene much better than the original, because I pushed myself.
One of my biggest insecurities was how my writing day looked like--if it was normal and efficient enough. In section 76, Bell collected a 'typical writing day' from a variety of successful authors, and it helped to see that mine really wasn't much different than theirs--especially during the editing stage, when it's basically scarf pizza, sleep, and walk around like a zombie.
Some of it is basic methodology that I had knocking around in my head but never bothered to put into words. This book is crisp, reassuring, and avoids writing fads (the biggest detriment to young writers). It gives experienced advice to avoid the worst tactics and pitfalls in the war of words. I highly enjoyed it, and recommend it to any of my writing friends.
Each chapter is easy to get through, boiled down to the cleanest, most pithy advice Bell could muster. The best exercise was in section 21 when Bell has you take a few of the movies and books that have impacted you most deeply and pick apart the elements that you are passionate about. Including one or more of these elements in each project, he says, adds a deeper level to any book you take on. To keep a high quality of writing, he encourages readers to scan over this list every so often, to make sure they're not getting off track with their main vision. I found that passion points for me were justice, mercy, passion, perseverance, suffering, friendship, and heroes that set my soul on fire.
Another encouraging light bulb moment was in section 29, where he discusses making improvements outside your comfort zone. Sometimes, to really make a character pop off the page (especially for an introverted writer) you have to write their actions and thoughts more explicitly than you yourself would prefer. Bell encouraged writers to delve deeper into the emotions of the character and write it out clearly and vulnerably on paper. I found that to be a rewarding exercise in my last novel rewrite. As Bell says, you can always scale it back later. A couple of times I did--but most times I ended up with a scene much better than the original, because I pushed myself.
One of my biggest insecurities was how my writing day looked like--if it was normal and efficient enough. In section 76, Bell collected a 'typical writing day' from a variety of successful authors, and it helped to see that mine really wasn't much different than theirs--especially during the editing stage, when it's basically scarf pizza, sleep, and walk around like a zombie.
Some of it is basic methodology that I had knocking around in my head but never bothered to put into words. This book is crisp, reassuring, and avoids writing fads (the biggest detriment to young writers). It gives experienced advice to avoid the worst tactics and pitfalls in the war of words. I highly enjoyed it, and recommend it to any of my writing friends.
August 8, 2012
Really, really loved this book! I have a "thing" with reading books devoted to the art of writing...I would much rather teach myself how to write by reading some really good fiction, or at least works I can relate to as a writer and reader. I figure that we only have so much time and when there's a free moment, it should be devoted to writing.
Well, as usual, this book set me straight. While this book is not exactly a how-to, it gives so much good advice, ideas, and more. I have several pages dog-eared for future reference--like tips on when and how to find an agent, how to weave in backstory (a common concern of mine), what to do with those sections of your book that you like but just don't work with *this* story (save them in another file; they may prove to be useful one day), etc.
THE ART OF WAR FOR WRITERS is easy to read. I read mine in the matter of a couple of days. It is organized easily into three sections all related to the craft of writing and promoting one's work. Each section is brief and to the point. You could read the book in one sitting, or read a tip a day for 77 days. It's great--one I will go back to time and time again, especially when I want to claw by eyeballs out and run for the hills and toss my laptop out the window.
Thanks, James Scott Bell. You helped save my eyeballs.
Well, as usual, this book set me straight. While this book is not exactly a how-to, it gives so much good advice, ideas, and more. I have several pages dog-eared for future reference--like tips on when and how to find an agent, how to weave in backstory (a common concern of mine), what to do with those sections of your book that you like but just don't work with *this* story (save them in another file; they may prove to be useful one day), etc.
THE ART OF WAR FOR WRITERS is easy to read. I read mine in the matter of a couple of days. It is organized easily into three sections all related to the craft of writing and promoting one's work. Each section is brief and to the point. You could read the book in one sitting, or read a tip a day for 77 days. It's great--one I will go back to time and time again, especially when I want to claw by eyeballs out and run for the hills and toss my laptop out the window.
Thanks, James Scott Bell. You helped save my eyeballs.
March 10, 2021
There was a pretty good mix of information here, covering many different aspects of creative writing and all the other things that go with it, such as mindset and dealing with rejection, etc. Quite a big chunk was about marketing, too, and I really resonated with the author's position on that. He advocates for focusing on writing your best book (and then the next and the next) rather than collecting a million Twitter/Facebook/Instagram/etc followers and not having the time or energy to put into your writing. I personally believe in a balance, though I would skew a little more towards the side of getting more books and stories out there than keeping up with social media to the degree that some other people suggest.
As someone who has been writing and studying creative writing for several years now, a lot of the information found in The Art of War for Writers wasn't new to me, but it's still good to have such a wide range of concise and helpful reminders close at hand for a writer at any stage in their journey. I personally wouldn't recommend it for a very beginner, since quite a bit does rely on a writer having some prior knowledge of some of the concepts.
My only complaints would be how few female authors and even characters were used as examples, as well as the disdain the author seemed to have toward self-publishing.
As someone who has been writing and studying creative writing for several years now, a lot of the information found in The Art of War for Writers wasn't new to me, but it's still good to have such a wide range of concise and helpful reminders close at hand for a writer at any stage in their journey. I personally wouldn't recommend it for a very beginner, since quite a bit does rely on a writer having some prior knowledge of some of the concepts.
My only complaints would be how few female authors and even characters were used as examples, as well as the disdain the author seemed to have toward self-publishing.
February 26, 2016
I like this author's no-nonsense approach to writing. This is the third book that I've read of his and I enjoy them....mostly because it isn't sugar coated and mostly because it feels honest. He gives advice and offers up suggestions that seem reasonable, not mention practical. And he doesn't give anyone the false illusion that the craft of writing isn't "work".
May 25, 2017
A good little writing book. If you are looking for something in depth, this isn't it. But if you are looking for a quick summary of writing craft and encouragement, then this will fit the bill. Very quick and easy to read.
August 8, 2021
This has been a very helpful book, as soon as the interlibrary loan system is back up, the librarians promise me that I shall have a copy of it again.
August 26, 2023
One star for a very useful page on networking, and minus four stars for being very thin on actual advice and thick on the attitude that writing is just churning out action movies with pages in order to make the most money possible. This author thinks writing is more of a hustle than an actual art.
August 12, 2012
Writers never stop learning their craft. There's always a way to be better, to make a story tighter, a fresh way to grab a reader by the nuts and jerk them around until the very last punctuation mark. No matter how long I've been writing, no matter how many days I have that make me think I'm "good," there's always something else out there that can help me improve. Even if it's only a short sentence buried in 200 pages, that single sentence is gold, another weapon to add to my arsenal. Maybe it's something basic, a fact I already know, but it's presented with a new spin, comes at me from a fresh angle and smacks me in the face.
That's how you learn. That's how you grow. And The Art of War for Writers is an excellent tool, a swift kick in the ass that made me sit up, take notice, and take notes. (Seriously, get out a notebook, because you'll be jotting down notes until your fingers cramp.) I've read a lot of books on writing over the years (check out my writing shelf if you want proof), but with each one I find at least one suggestion that gives my writing extra punch. James Scott Bell has written a guide that gives more than one piece of excellent advice, and this little book is worth far more than its purchase price.
The Art of War for Writers covers everything from tips on writing, how to handle the submission process, and, most importantly, how to get your ass in the chair and actually write, which is the foundation that too many "writers" forget about. Writing first, because nothing else happens without those words on the page.
Every writer needs this on their shelf. Don't just read it; buy it. I don't say that often, books are expensive after all and most people find the need to eat more pressing, but if you're a writer who recognizes the need to keep learning, buy this book. It's a must-have for the writing shelf.
That's how you learn. That's how you grow. And The Art of War for Writers is an excellent tool, a swift kick in the ass that made me sit up, take notice, and take notes. (Seriously, get out a notebook, because you'll be jotting down notes until your fingers cramp.) I've read a lot of books on writing over the years (check out my writing shelf if you want proof), but with each one I find at least one suggestion that gives my writing extra punch. James Scott Bell has written a guide that gives more than one piece of excellent advice, and this little book is worth far more than its purchase price.
The Art of War for Writers covers everything from tips on writing, how to handle the submission process, and, most importantly, how to get your ass in the chair and actually write, which is the foundation that too many "writers" forget about. Writing first, because nothing else happens without those words on the page.
Every writer needs this on their shelf. Don't just read it; buy it. I don't say that often, books are expensive after all and most people find the need to eat more pressing, but if you're a writer who recognizes the need to keep learning, buy this book. It's a must-have for the writing shelf.
July 28, 2010
I'll admit it - I'm a writing book whore. Every visit to my B&N includes a dash to the reference section to see if there's something there that may help me become a better writer.
This is definitely one of those books. I've read and re-read it a number of times, if only to drill some of the good advice into my thick skull. If you're looking for a good book to lay out the art and the business of writing in short, edible chunks, this is it.
I'd love to get it in ebook form, but... too expensive!
:P
This is definitely one of those books. I've read and re-read it a number of times, if only to drill some of the good advice into my thick skull. If you're looking for a good book to lay out the art and the business of writing in short, edible chunks, this is it.
I'd love to get it in ebook form, but... too expensive!
:P
April 16, 2013
I'm discovering that I just kind of love everything James Scott Bell has to say about writing. His advice is always to the point and eminently practical, and he gives great examples to boot. This is an easy, fast read but it's filled with great nuggets of wisdom. The last section is more focused on writers who are still aspiring to publication. But I found the first two parts, especially the section focused on craft to be chock full of tips I wanted to write on index cards and pin up around my office. A great addition to any writer's craft library.
March 23, 2018
This was a decent writing book, albeit a bit shallow and simplistic. The whole "Art of war" gimmick was interesting, but it didn't add much to the overall usefulness of the tips mentioned. Lots of fairly good points were listed; unfortunatelly, the author really didn't develop them properly to make an impact. Like many other writing books, this too reads like a recipe, a list of steps you should follow. It never mentions why you should do that and how they work, so don't expect to learn much from them. Also, most of the examples used are either from the same decades-old movies everyone mentions in writing books or from authors you've never heard of. In fact, some of the writing samples are ridiculously dull.
The book does have its good side, however: it's quite motivating.
The book does have its good side, however: it's quite motivating.
October 22, 2021
Genuinely good advice and reminders. I wasn’t expecting much from this, but as someone who writes pretty regularly, the bite-sized strategies in here are motivating and grounded.
August 7, 2019
Fantastic - plenty of practical advice, humor, and just a whole lot of things that just make sense. Highly recommend for authors as well as any creatives (the writing stuff won't apply, but the general mindset will).
August 5, 2011
SIBELLA GIORELLO once closed a note of encouragement to me with a word about how writing was like warfare. Her last thought was, “Lock and Load brother!”
James Scott Bell picks up on this idea in this great little manual for every foot soldier whose weapon is a pen or keyboard. The title comes from the much studied, Sun Tzu, a Chinese general who recorded his observations of the art of warfare between 400 and 320 B.C.
This is a brutally honest and to-the-point primer on everything writing. James Scott Bell is not simply a writer who decided to make some money writing books about writing. He is a master drill instructor, field tactician, and officer training specialist – a Sun Tzu of writing instructors.
Reconnaissance – Deals with the mental aspect of writing and how as Bell puts it, “what happens in your head affects everything else. Cautions abound about keeping one’s head clear, checking your ego at the door, and learning to think and therefore act like a serious writer.
Tactics – Bell has taught writing for 15 years and here it shares concise and practical tactics for good writing. There is no fluff here; just real-world advice that we all would be wise to heed.
Strategy – Advice is offered here for what to do upon entering the “no man’s land of the publishing biz.” There are no form letter examples of how to write a query letter but rather battle plans for the serious writer as he or she enters the fray in the world of agents and publishes and published authors.
James Scott Bell picks up on this idea in this great little manual for every foot soldier whose weapon is a pen or keyboard. The title comes from the much studied, Sun Tzu, a Chinese general who recorded his observations of the art of warfare between 400 and 320 B.C.
This is a brutally honest and to-the-point primer on everything writing. James Scott Bell is not simply a writer who decided to make some money writing books about writing. He is a master drill instructor, field tactician, and officer training specialist – a Sun Tzu of writing instructors.
Reconnaissance – Deals with the mental aspect of writing and how as Bell puts it, “what happens in your head affects everything else. Cautions abound about keeping one’s head clear, checking your ego at the door, and learning to think and therefore act like a serious writer.
Tactics – Bell has taught writing for 15 years and here it shares concise and practical tactics for good writing. There is no fluff here; just real-world advice that we all would be wise to heed.
Strategy – Advice is offered here for what to do upon entering the “no man’s land of the publishing biz.” There are no form letter examples of how to write a query letter but rather battle plans for the serious writer as he or she enters the fray in the world of agents and publishes and published authors.
April 18, 2016
This may be the single best resource on writing craft I've found to date.
I'd heard a great many glowing things about the skill, wisdom, and artistry of James Scott Bell; and this book in particular. I now realize it essentially contains all of the information it took me 2 years to accumulate through the writing guild I joined. Part field guide, part workbook, part exercise manual--this book ought to be one of the first craft books in the arsenal of every serious writer, regardless of genre.
Though it was written in 2009, nearly everything Bell talks about remains timely and of immense importance. The author's voice, though instructional, is concise and engaging. Parallels to Sun Tzu's 'The Art Of War' ring with cunning and logic. And even the most organized personality could potentially benefit from a number of his tips and suggestions aimed at increasing one's writing efficiency. (I detected a bit of aversion/hostility toward self-publishing, but I suspect that is due to it being written at the beginning of the ebook phenomenon. His focus is clearly traditional publishing.)
I'd heard a great many glowing things about the skill, wisdom, and artistry of James Scott Bell; and this book in particular. I now realize it essentially contains all of the information it took me 2 years to accumulate through the writing guild I joined. Part field guide, part workbook, part exercise manual--this book ought to be one of the first craft books in the arsenal of every serious writer, regardless of genre.
Though it was written in 2009, nearly everything Bell talks about remains timely and of immense importance. The author's voice, though instructional, is concise and engaging. Parallels to Sun Tzu's 'The Art Of War' ring with cunning and logic. And even the most organized personality could potentially benefit from a number of his tips and suggestions aimed at increasing one's writing efficiency. (I detected a bit of aversion/hostility toward self-publishing, but I suspect that is due to it being written at the beginning of the ebook phenomenon. His focus is clearly traditional publishing.)
February 4, 2012
HERE THERE BE SPOILERS
Five Things About...The Art of War for Writers
1. This is not a hippy 'write from your heart' kind of book. If that's what you're looking for, pick up 'Bird by Bird' or 'The Tao of Writing.' It's about what it takes to be a professional writer.
2. Every now and then you read something that actually tells it like it is for writers. This does that extremely effectively. It isn't overloaded with cynicism, but it does mean to speak to those who intend to live off their words.
3. It's a great book for reading in nice chunks. The sections are very short, very pointed.
4. Read it in whatever order you think you need to read it in. I spent a lot of time pouring over the first and third sections, which focus on fixing your attitude as a writer and facing the world of publishing.
5. "Onward. Keep fighting. Keep writing."
Five Things About...The Art of War for Writers
1. This is not a hippy 'write from your heart' kind of book. If that's what you're looking for, pick up 'Bird by Bird' or 'The Tao of Writing.' It's about what it takes to be a professional writer.
2. Every now and then you read something that actually tells it like it is for writers. This does that extremely effectively. It isn't overloaded with cynicism, but it does mean to speak to those who intend to live off their words.
3. It's a great book for reading in nice chunks. The sections are very short, very pointed.
4. Read it in whatever order you think you need to read it in. I spent a lot of time pouring over the first and third sections, which focus on fixing your attitude as a writer and facing the world of publishing.
5. "Onward. Keep fighting. Keep writing."
April 2, 2013
Helpful insights for writing warriors. Easy to read. http://bit.ly/10lK4Yt
Read
February 6, 2023Lots of practical stuff in here for traditional publishing (querying, finding an agent, etc.) that I will definitely be returning to when I'm ready for that.
As with all books on writing, I find much of it to be subjective. Some things here were helpful, some things not. Every writer has their own approach; you have to take the advice that sticks and ignore the advice that that doesn't work for you.
Overall, worth reading, but didn't blow me away.
As with all books on writing, I find much of it to be subjective. Some things here were helpful, some things not. Every writer has their own approach; you have to take the advice that sticks and ignore the advice that that doesn't work for you.
Overall, worth reading, but didn't blow me away.
May 21, 2025
some day zen was the solution to washing your motorcycle. and than in started. everything was zen. than they have discovered the art of war. and i bet somebody wrote how to use the art of war in cleaning the toilet.
October 23, 2018
Going down as one of my fave writing books of all time. Highly recommended!
January 6, 2025
Really great book with fantastic workarounds for writers block and specific issues. Will probably be going back and referring to this as I move along my writing process.
August 14, 2013
A non-fictional interpretation of Sun Tzu's The Art of War as applied to writing fiction.
And that's just the start...it's a buy. If you write, you want to beg, borrow, or steal this one.
My Take
Right off the bat, Bell addresses a writer's biggest bugaboo: fear. Fear of failure, fear of success. And fear of reading bad reviews! Fear of your Amazon index. Fear of not being as good as the next guy.
I loved his writing improvement program, and I intend to add these suggestions to my spreadsheet. It's something that's been sitting at the back of my mind anyway, examples. Examples of authors I admire, paragraphs and pages that sing. Figuring out your weak points.
Bell provides excuses to stop writing! Good 'uns, too. Exercises and ideas to restart your creative juices. Improving your writing by finishing the damn book.
The writer's credo:
Then there are his examples of show over tell:
He jumped into his car and drove away - what kind of car was it? You know you'll get a different perspective on the character if he's driving Herbie the Love Bug versus a shiny red Ferrari...
She was beautiful - uh-huh. Show how other characters react to her. Describe her so the reader will recognize her on the street.
Make your words / phrases sing. Put some magic into the prose style---unobtrusively
He points out that publishers and agents invest in careers. They want to know you can do this over and over again.
Bell delves into deeply into character and what's needed to grab the reader, pull her into identifying with the protagonist. I loved his Spencer Tracy method acting technique for fleshing out a character. There's a lovely bit on inner struggle versus inner conflict. He quickly lays out scenes while covering a great deal of ground. Tips and suggestions on how or whether to outline, dealing with that need to leap right in to writing the next great novel, ideas to bash down that writer's block, the appropriate use of the backstory and creating the hook, and using first person point-of-view.
He also has a several practical chapters on agents: knowing when---or when not---to get an agent, what the agent wants or doesn't want, and finding an agent. This is followed by shorty chapters on the proposal and includes the query letter, the synopsis, and your tagline and elevator pitch.
I'm tellin' ya...it packs a punch for such a short book!
The Cover
The cover is basic with a red background and crossed "swords", LOL. A katana and an old-fashioned ink pen with nib.
The title is a take-off on Sun Tzu's The Art of War applying his tactics to writing. It truly is The Art of War for Writers.
Publishers are not interested in publishing a novel. They want to publish novelists, writers who can build readerships and make money for the company over the long term. You need to position yourself as someone who can deliver the goods.
Does this mean not writing what you love?
No. But write what you love with eyes wide open.
And that's just the start...it's a buy. If you write, you want to beg, borrow, or steal this one.
My Take
Right off the bat, Bell addresses a writer's biggest bugaboo: fear. Fear of failure, fear of success. And fear of reading bad reviews! Fear of your Amazon index. Fear of not being as good as the next guy.
I loved his writing improvement program, and I intend to add these suggestions to my spreadsheet. It's something that's been sitting at the back of my mind anyway, examples. Examples of authors I admire, paragraphs and pages that sing. Figuring out your weak points.
Bell provides excuses to stop writing! Good 'uns, too. Exercises and ideas to restart your creative juices. Improving your writing by finishing the damn book.
The writer's credo:
A strong sense of story should make your reader wonder what happens next, put your characters in moral, emotional, physical, spiritual ++ difficulties.
Pull your reader into the story, suspend their belief. Do this by keeping it real. Remember, there is no TV in the 1800s.
Then there are his examples of show over tell:
He jumped into his car and drove away - what kind of car was it? You know you'll get a different perspective on the character if he's driving Herbie the Love Bug versus a shiny red Ferrari...
She was beautiful - uh-huh. Show how other characters react to her. Describe her so the reader will recognize her on the street.
Make your words / phrases sing. Put some magic into the prose style---unobtrusively
The sun that brief December day shone weakly through the west-facing window of Garrett Kingsley's office. It made a thin yellow oblong splash on his Persian carpet and gave up.
– Robert B. Parker's Pale Kings and Princes
She sat up slowly, looked in turn at each of us, and her dark eyes were like twin entrances to two deep caves. Nothing lived in those caves. maybe something had, once upon a time. There were piles of bones back in there, some scribbling on the walls, and some gray ash where the fires had been.
– John D. MacDonald's Darker Than Amber
He's pretty silly-looking---a gangly, tall guy with hips like doorknobs and unruly, brittle hair that looks like he styles it by sticking his head in a toilet bowl and flushing.
– Dennis Lehane's Darkness, Take My Hand
He points out that publishers and agents invest in careers. They want to know you can do this over and over again.
Bell delves into deeply into character and what's needed to grab the reader, pull her into identifying with the protagonist. I loved his Spencer Tracy method acting technique for fleshing out a character. There's a lovely bit on inner struggle versus inner conflict. He quickly lays out scenes while covering a great deal of ground. Tips and suggestions on how or whether to outline, dealing with that need to leap right in to writing the next great novel, ideas to bash down that writer's block, the appropriate use of the backstory and creating the hook, and using first person point-of-view.
He also has a several practical chapters on agents: knowing when---or when not---to get an agent, what the agent wants or doesn't want, and finding an agent. This is followed by shorty chapters on the proposal and includes the query letter, the synopsis, and your tagline and elevator pitch.
I'm tellin' ya...it packs a punch for such a short book!
The Cover
The cover is basic with a red background and crossed "swords", LOL. A katana and an old-fashioned ink pen with nib.
The title is a take-off on Sun Tzu's The Art of War applying his tactics to writing. It truly is The Art of War for Writers.
July 19, 2018
Actually useful tips lie within!
January 23, 2024
I want to write fiction. I have sort of always wanted to write fiction, but didn't really "write" anything until I was in high school, and I've been writing in some form or another, consistently, ever since. On a grander scale, I've always wanted to write a novel. I have ideas for novels I would want to write. I read a lot of authors who inspire me to write. I'm not so much interested in getting published--that would be neat, but it's not really the end goal--I just want to write a novel.
I've been somewhat out of practice with fiction, specifically, since high school (ironic) and so the art of crafting a story, while always on my mind, is lost in the abstractions of the process. I know what a plot is and the basics of developing characters and crafting dialogue and so on, but the hard knock tips for sitting down and getting to work writing are lost on me. This sudden interest in writing fiction again and a well-timed Amazon gift card led me to purchase a stack of books on writing and grammar (probably noted in some of the earlier books I read this year), but I wanted a sort of cover-all approach of writing tips before I dove into the more technical books. "The Art of War for Writers" fit the bill.
It's a collection of straightforward writing tips aggregated across a variety of authors and collected by Bell, also a writer of commercial fiction. I'm going to be completely honest, I tend to sort of knock "commercial" fiction and don't really make much time for it with so many great classics and literary stuff to read, but I suppose some of the books on my read list classify...I digress.
I'm sort of rambling here. The Art of War for Writers does what it says it's going to do, which is give simple strategies, tactics, and exercises for fiction writers. The author includes some quotes from other successful authors (almost none of whom I've heard of outside of Hemingway, King, and Kipling) and also uses old golden-age Hollywood examples, which was entertaining to me. It's easy to read and quick, and also easy to come back to and reference, which I will, if I ever get around to actually writing anything. I suppose my only gripe revolves around my own personality and not with anything to do with the book, that the idea of writing fiction for money sort of bothers me. That's not a negative though, it's just me. If you want to be a professional author and earn money, go for it. It's just not my goal, so I got irrationally peeved at some of the tips on how to sell your book (invariably important, still, so again, if that's your goal, this book is for you).
So...yeah. Good tips here. Easy to read, easy to reference. What more could you want?
I've been somewhat out of practice with fiction, specifically, since high school (ironic) and so the art of crafting a story, while always on my mind, is lost in the abstractions of the process. I know what a plot is and the basics of developing characters and crafting dialogue and so on, but the hard knock tips for sitting down and getting to work writing are lost on me. This sudden interest in writing fiction again and a well-timed Amazon gift card led me to purchase a stack of books on writing and grammar (probably noted in some of the earlier books I read this year), but I wanted a sort of cover-all approach of writing tips before I dove into the more technical books. "The Art of War for Writers" fit the bill.
It's a collection of straightforward writing tips aggregated across a variety of authors and collected by Bell, also a writer of commercial fiction. I'm going to be completely honest, I tend to sort of knock "commercial" fiction and don't really make much time for it with so many great classics and literary stuff to read, but I suppose some of the books on my read list classify...I digress.
I'm sort of rambling here. The Art of War for Writers does what it says it's going to do, which is give simple strategies, tactics, and exercises for fiction writers. The author includes some quotes from other successful authors (almost none of whom I've heard of outside of Hemingway, King, and Kipling) and also uses old golden-age Hollywood examples, which was entertaining to me. It's easy to read and quick, and also easy to come back to and reference, which I will, if I ever get around to actually writing anything. I suppose my only gripe revolves around my own personality and not with anything to do with the book, that the idea of writing fiction for money sort of bothers me. That's not a negative though, it's just me. If you want to be a professional author and earn money, go for it. It's just not my goal, so I got irrationally peeved at some of the tips on how to sell your book (invariably important, still, so again, if that's your goal, this book is for you).
So...yeah. Good tips here. Easy to read, easy to reference. What more could you want?
February 16, 2015
The thing I love most about The Art of War for Writers is that every writer, from newbie to seasoned professional, can glean from its pages. You can pick it up at different stops on your journey and learn something new. It inspires even as it spurs you on in your writing career. And that's really the focus of this book--how to develop a career in writing. Says Bell, "The writer must understand the essentials of success for a long-term writing career, and count the cost accordingly." What does that take? How do you overcome the obstacles along the way? The book's short, meaty chapters share real answers to these questions and more. And while there's certainly some how-to advice on the craft within its pages, Bell has already covered craft techniques in his two noteworthy books Plot & Structure and Revision & Self Editing. The Art of War for Writers is more a battle plan on how to beat the enemies we all face in our writing pursuits. Let's face it--writing is a fight. But in The Art of War we're shown that with the proper attitude and tactics we can be victorious. That's something every writer needs to hear.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 220 reviews