Writing Fiction Step by Step

by Josip Novakovich

Writing Fiction Step by Step gives you more than 200 exercises that will sharpen your writing skills while helping you develop complete short stories, even novels. In this sequel to his very popular Fiction Writer's Workshop , Whiting Award-winning author Josip Novakovich shows you that writing fiction is about making connections–between character and plot, setting and conflict, memory and imagination. You'll make these connections by linking the exercises. A character invented in chapter two can appear in a scene outlined in chapter eight and can speak in a voice developed in chapter ten. Embark on a unique writing journey and learn step by step how to craft fiction that captivates readers.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Reference

296 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Josip Novakovich (Croatian: Novaković) is a Croatian-American writer. His grandparents had immigrated from the Croatia, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, to Cleveland, Ohio, and, after the First World War, his grandfather returned to what had become Yugoslavia. Josip Novakovich was born (in 1956) and grew up in the Central Croatian town of Daruvar, studied medicine in the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad. At the age of 20 he left Yugoslavia, continuing his education at Vassar College (B.A.), Yale University (M.Div.), and the University of Texas, Austin (M.A.).

He has published a novel (April Fool's Day), three short story collections (Yolk, Salvation and Other Disasters, Infidelities: Stories of War and Lust), two collections of narrative essays (Apricots from Chernobyl, Plum Brandy: Croatian Journey) and a textbook (Fiction Writer's Workshop).

Novakovich has taught at Nebraska Indian Community College, Bard College, Moorhead State University, Antioch University in Los Angeles, the University of Cincinnati, and is now a professor at Pennsylvania State University.

Mr. Novakovich is the recipient of the Whiting Writer's Award, a Guggenheim fellowship, two fellowships from the National Endowment of the Arts, an award from the Ingram Merrill Foundation, and an American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation. He was anthologized in Best American Poetry, Pushcart Prize, and O.Henry Prize Stories.

He taught in the Master's of Fine Arts program at Pennsylvania State University, where he lived under the iron rule of Reed Moyer's Halfmoon Township autocracy. He is currently in Montreal, Quebec teaching at Concordia University.

Reviews

[Galena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Другата на Новакович ми се струва по-добра, но и от тази има какво да се вземе.

[Jerry Walch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This really isn't a book to be read, it's a book to be studied with plenty of exercises to be worked. If you do work all the exercises you will have enough material for a first novel by the time you finish studying this book. This has to be one of the best, if not the best books, that I have ever encountered for anyone that wants to teach themselves to become a published fiction writer. It's a book that should be in every writer's and aspiring writer's library.

[Бранимир Събев · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5, в полза на писателя - 4. Хубава е книгата, и определено помага на твореца с упражненията си, но не е чак толкова добра и полезна като предишната на същата тематика от Новакович. Все пак, ако искате да потренирате писането си и вече сте минали "Курс по творческо писане", хвърлете един поглед и на тази.

[Vanya Prodanova · Rating 3 out of 5]

Втората книга за творческо писане на Новакович не е така хубава като първата му, но не е и лоша. Нещата са по-структурирани и подредени, но им липсва ентусиазмът и игривостта, които се усещаха в първата.

Тази книга определено ми дойде малко скучна, а и някои упражнения и идеи като да се повтаряха. Последната глава беше всъщност най-полезната част, тъй като там направи анализ как е създал един свой разказ, споделяйки и самия разказ, което се оказа доста необикновено надничане в съзнанието на писателя.

[Robert Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I had more time; to complete the exercises; to write the stories; to respect the work that this author has put into this fine book. Next time.

[Nicholas Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been said that writing is a fundamentally an optimistic act, and it’s to Novakovich's great credit that his book of advice and exercise evinces that dictum throughout. There’s no reason, he says, why we shouldn’t try nearly all forms of writing in our career.

I picked this one up for a buck off the rack out front at Westsider Rare and Used Books and really enjoyed the author’s descriptions and examples of the elements and devices of fiction that he uses to introduce each section—Character, Plot, Setting, Style, and so forth—before offering some writing exercises on each topic. Which exercises I did not do : )

Dazzling yourself, he reminds us, is even more important than dazzling the reader. ‘Get the sensation of magic, feel the strange and wonderful sounds and sights are taking place in your fiction.’

You needn’t be brilliant and fascinating throughout, he observes. It’s the story’s opening and the climax where brilliance is most often required.

Read aloud, he enthuses, ‘to feel your words in your throat and see if they taste right.’

Strive for strong, arresting imagery. For one well struck image may bring together a whole story, Novakovich offers. And to that end, his innate writerly positivity again shines through when he adds, ‘collecting images is a great investment of your time, perception, and imagination.’

Most stirring and bizarre and spot on is the trance-like state that the author alludes to when you are writing free and in full swing, when you can surprise yourself and ‘tell yourself something you haven’t heard or known.’

‘You don’t have to be in possessed, though there may be something akin to possession here.’

Amen, brother.

[Geary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good textbook-type of book, not only suitable for college creative writing programs but also for high school AP classes as well. If you feel that you would like to be a writer, by the time that you have worked your way through the 200+ included exercises you will certainly be prepared.

[Aleksandra Aubay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based on the ideas I'd come across while reading this book, I wrote a post "19 questions to read books more mindfully":

https://bookloverfromparis.blogspot.c...

[Heather Browning · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm always suspicious of books that 'teach' you how to write fiction, but I think it is worthwhile to have your attention drawn to the elements of fiction - to learn to pay attention to your use of place, imagery, the way you built characters etc. - and this book succeeds in doing so. It also has many many exercises, which allow you to explore and practice these elements, or give you something to work on that might inspire a larger project.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

This and its companion Fiction Writer's Workshop basically contain a lifetime worth of exercises and inspiration. On par with Gardner's The Art of Fiction, these two books could be the foundation textbooks for a series of creative writing courses: beginner to intermediate to advanced.

[Robin Yaklin · Rating 4 out of 5]

He has so much to teach that he needs more than one book.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very useful collection of exercises for fiction writers.

[Krystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like how the book organzines itself into helpful excersise but I really couldnt get into it. I flipped through some pages hoping that I could read it like a normal book but it couldnt.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

excellent