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Writing the Blockbuster Novel
Through clear, direct and decisive instruction, literary agent Al Zuckerman covers the essential elements of the best-selling novel, showing aspiring authors how to put them to work in their writing.
218 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1994
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495 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
June 12, 2018
As luck would have it I met Albert Zuckerman in person a few weeks ago, after he invited me over to his hotel to discuss my debut novel and writing plans. It was an incredible encounter which I'll never forget, but I was already reading this book before I met him. The main reason for this was Ken Follett. By all accounts it was 'Big Al' Zuckerman who turned Ken Follett into a bestselling author, long before Follett severed all ties with his agents back in 2013. And after a couple of readers on digital book club 'The Pigeonhole' compared the writing in my debut novel to Follett's back in January 2018, I thought I could do worse than read the teachings of the man who helped turn Follett into a household name.
I guess that in reviewing this book there's a few questions I should first pose to myself, to avoid beating around the bush:
(1) Am I glad I read it? Absolutely yes.
(2) Should aspiring and experienced novelists read this novel? Definitely, hands down.
(3) Do I wish I'd read this book before I started writing? Yes and no.
(4) Will this book affect the way I write things going forward? Absolutely.
(5) Is this book gospel, a guaranteed recipe for success? No, and by Zuckerman's own admission, there are proven exceptions to each of his guidelines.
A few other thoughts on the book:
- This book will give you the 'dyed in the wool', American industry view of what sort of novel you need to write to have a hope of landing a literary agent in the US (if not globally) and perhaps even serious commercial success.
- Zuckerman's advice can be bruising and ruthless, for example: don't write historical fiction if you're not yet an established author. After all, even bestselling and highly talented authors like Tim Willocks have reputedly hit a wall when publishing historical fiction after achieving commercial success through a different genre.
- Although Zuckerman doesn't explicitly say it in this book, he did tell me in person: 'men don't read'. The importance of developing female characters is not understated in this book.
- The chapter in which Zuckerman shows the evolution (consisting of around 4-5 rewrites) of Follett's 'The Man From St Petersburg' from the original to the final draft is as good an educational piece on creative writing as you're ever likely to read. It's almost worth picking up this book just to read this chapter. It's impressive to learn just how much work Follett put into rewriting the story arc of Petersburg, and by all accounts Zuckerman played a huge part in the rewriting of the initial chapters and the main characters.
Personally I still find 'Petersburg' to have a tedious plot (and that's after it was rewritten a few times over), but the point is that millions of people around the world do not. And it is hugely important when trying to write commercially (if you want to put yourself under that kind of pressure) to appeal to the largest proportion of the reading public out there possible. Zuckerman's advice on how to do this is straightforward: have at least two female protagonists in every novel, because again: 'men don't read'. His view is not disproved by statistics, although it does beg the question: do men not read because women like to read more than men, or because the publishing industry has (as always) gone for the quick and easy buck and turned its back on men? And how would Zuckerman's ideal recipe for a 'blockbuster' (his interpretation of the word 'blockbuster', by the way, means a bestselling novel, not a read featuring the action and adventure which also appeals to men) explain the enduring success of hugely popular works like 'The Lord Of The Rings', 'Trainspotting, 'Papillon' or 'Wool'?
As admitted by Zuckerman himself, his book is not gospel, but it does contain priceless and unique wisdom which was accumulated during Zuckerman's decades of incredibly hard work spent helping many, many authors to achieve significant commercial success. Debut and established novelists ignore this book at their peril, since it contains crucial views on the publishing industry and creative writing in general.
I guess that in reviewing this book there's a few questions I should first pose to myself, to avoid beating around the bush:
(1) Am I glad I read it? Absolutely yes.
(2) Should aspiring and experienced novelists read this novel? Definitely, hands down.
(3) Do I wish I'd read this book before I started writing? Yes and no.
(4) Will this book affect the way I write things going forward? Absolutely.
(5) Is this book gospel, a guaranteed recipe for success? No, and by Zuckerman's own admission, there are proven exceptions to each of his guidelines.
A few other thoughts on the book:
- This book will give you the 'dyed in the wool', American industry view of what sort of novel you need to write to have a hope of landing a literary agent in the US (if not globally) and perhaps even serious commercial success.
- Zuckerman's advice can be bruising and ruthless, for example: don't write historical fiction if you're not yet an established author. After all, even bestselling and highly talented authors like Tim Willocks have reputedly hit a wall when publishing historical fiction after achieving commercial success through a different genre.
- Although Zuckerman doesn't explicitly say it in this book, he did tell me in person: 'men don't read'. The importance of developing female characters is not understated in this book.
- The chapter in which Zuckerman shows the evolution (consisting of around 4-5 rewrites) of Follett's 'The Man From St Petersburg' from the original to the final draft is as good an educational piece on creative writing as you're ever likely to read. It's almost worth picking up this book just to read this chapter. It's impressive to learn just how much work Follett put into rewriting the story arc of Petersburg, and by all accounts Zuckerman played a huge part in the rewriting of the initial chapters and the main characters.
Personally I still find 'Petersburg' to have a tedious plot (and that's after it was rewritten a few times over), but the point is that millions of people around the world do not. And it is hugely important when trying to write commercially (if you want to put yourself under that kind of pressure) to appeal to the largest proportion of the reading public out there possible. Zuckerman's advice on how to do this is straightforward: have at least two female protagonists in every novel, because again: 'men don't read'. His view is not disproved by statistics, although it does beg the question: do men not read because women like to read more than men, or because the publishing industry has (as always) gone for the quick and easy buck and turned its back on men? And how would Zuckerman's ideal recipe for a 'blockbuster' (his interpretation of the word 'blockbuster', by the way, means a bestselling novel, not a read featuring the action and adventure which also appeals to men) explain the enduring success of hugely popular works like 'The Lord Of The Rings', 'Trainspotting, 'Papillon' or 'Wool'?
As admitted by Zuckerman himself, his book is not gospel, but it does contain priceless and unique wisdom which was accumulated during Zuckerman's decades of incredibly hard work spent helping many, many authors to achieve significant commercial success. Debut and established novelists ignore this book at their peril, since it contains crucial views on the publishing industry and creative writing in general.
January 14, 2019
Al Zuckerman offers a whole range of very specific suggestions which have made me think and have taught me much about my own writing.
Of particular use to me were the chapters on outlining, using Ken Follett's The Man From St. Petersburg and Follett's 4 outlines as examples. I have outlined my current novel-in-progress and made some significant improvements as a result.
Other topics very helpful to me include ... character relationships and setting up scenes.
Of particular use to me were the chapters on outlining, using Ken Follett's The Man From St. Petersburg and Follett's 4 outlines as examples. I have outlined my current novel-in-progress and made some significant improvements as a result.
Other topics very helpful to me include ... character relationships and setting up scenes.
June 17, 2020
Meh. Outdated and not as helpful as I had hoped. 📚
February 2, 2022
A guide written by a New York agent in the 1990s, which analyses a number of best-sellers at that time, with particular indepth analysis of a book by a writer he represented, Ken Follett. Ironically, he mentions how Follett had to produce a number of best selling thrillers, such as the one he discusses in this book 'The Man from St Petersberg' set in 1914, before being able to get his 'Pillars of the Earth' accepted - ironical, because if you mention the name Ken Follett these days the one book everyone seems to know is 'Pillars of the Earth'. I must admit I had no idea Follett had ever written thrillers before reading this!
The other books discussed included Puzo's 'The Godfather' and 'Gone with the Wind' by Margaret Mitchell, both of which I read some years ago, and a book by another writer about two children swapped at birth which seemed very far fetched. With those the author discusses the characters, points of view, some scenes with analysis of how tension is built etc and the author's choice of (sometimes not the obvious) viewpoint, but it is Follett's that is discussed in depth. He sets out four different outlines that Follett produced for his novel and also has extracts of the first and final versions of a couple of scenes. He analyses why things changed between the various outlines, and also where they changed still further, the actual book departing from the final outline especially in the ending (though ironically I found the actual ending far more melodramatic and unconvincing than the unused one in the outlines, which hadn't worked for me until the antagonist had been given more convincing motives in the 4th one for behaving as he did).
One of the minor mentions in the book are the books of Arthur Hailey who was very popular in the 70s I think for blockbusters such as 'Airport' but who I think isn't read today but he is one of the writers that Zuckerman admires.
The book has some useful discussion of the importance of outlining when tackling a large book. I might give this a try in future. This isn't the short synopsis I'm familiar with but really detailed outlines of 20 to 40 pages. However, some writers, myself included, might find this risks killing off the creativity. If the first draft of a book comes up from the unconscious as I believe, the unconscious might think you'd actually written the book and dry up completely when it came to writing it. But a less detailed one might be useful for a complex, long novel.
The book is very dated in discussing the mechanics of publication as there is no self publishing option, this having arisen much later. But the oddity for me is the characterisation of the reading public - to Zuckerman, people who buy hardbacks (and again this dates the book as a lot of publishers go straight to trade paperback these days) are rich because those are expensive and blockbusters are hardbacks by definition, therefore anyone wanting to write a bestseller should tell a tale of rich and larger than life people in exotic surroundings. No stories about ordinary people in other words. Funnily enough, he twice name checks Stephen King as a bestseller (even in that period this was true) but fails to make the connection, although he acknowledges King's mastery of depicting small town folk and their ways of talking etc. It's obvious from the way he mentions King that he doesn't rate anything supernatural or fantastical so maybe this is the reason for his blindspot and failure to realise that, in the right hands, stories about blue collar workers or the middle class might actually become bestsellers and that readers don't always want to read about the jet set or other types of high flyers.
With the proviso that the advice about agents/publishers and subjects to write about have to be taken with a large pinch of salt, this still has some useful pointers about the craft of writing so I am awarding it 3 stars.
The other books discussed included Puzo's 'The Godfather' and 'Gone with the Wind' by Margaret Mitchell, both of which I read some years ago, and a book by another writer about two children swapped at birth which seemed very far fetched. With those the author discusses the characters, points of view, some scenes with analysis of how tension is built etc and the author's choice of (sometimes not the obvious) viewpoint, but it is Follett's that is discussed in depth. He sets out four different outlines that Follett produced for his novel and also has extracts of the first and final versions of a couple of scenes. He analyses why things changed between the various outlines, and also where they changed still further, the actual book departing from the final outline especially in the ending (though ironically I found the actual ending far more melodramatic and unconvincing than the unused one in the outlines, which hadn't worked for me until the antagonist had been given more convincing motives in the 4th one for behaving as he did).
One of the minor mentions in the book are the books of Arthur Hailey who was very popular in the 70s I think for blockbusters such as 'Airport' but who I think isn't read today but he is one of the writers that Zuckerman admires.
The book has some useful discussion of the importance of outlining when tackling a large book. I might give this a try in future. This isn't the short synopsis I'm familiar with but really detailed outlines of 20 to 40 pages. However, some writers, myself included, might find this risks killing off the creativity. If the first draft of a book comes up from the unconscious as I believe, the unconscious might think you'd actually written the book and dry up completely when it came to writing it. But a less detailed one might be useful for a complex, long novel.
The book is very dated in discussing the mechanics of publication as there is no self publishing option, this having arisen much later. But the oddity for me is the characterisation of the reading public - to Zuckerman, people who buy hardbacks (and again this dates the book as a lot of publishers go straight to trade paperback these days) are rich because those are expensive and blockbusters are hardbacks by definition, therefore anyone wanting to write a bestseller should tell a tale of rich and larger than life people in exotic surroundings. No stories about ordinary people in other words. Funnily enough, he twice name checks Stephen King as a bestseller (even in that period this was true) but fails to make the connection, although he acknowledges King's mastery of depicting small town folk and their ways of talking etc. It's obvious from the way he mentions King that he doesn't rate anything supernatural or fantastical so maybe this is the reason for his blindspot and failure to realise that, in the right hands, stories about blue collar workers or the middle class might actually become bestsellers and that readers don't always want to read about the jet set or other types of high flyers.
With the proviso that the advice about agents/publishers and subjects to write about have to be taken with a large pinch of salt, this still has some useful pointers about the craft of writing so I am awarding it 3 stars.
August 10, 2017
Despite being written and released in the early 90's, I found the advice in this book quite relevant and useful. I would recommend this title to anyone with serious aspirations of becoming a novelist.
January 14, 2017
Invaluable book, simply invaluable. I recommend you read the first two chapters, then read the five novels Albert tells you to read, then finish reading the book, then reread the novels he listed, then study them according to the exercises in the book, then read the new updated edition of the book (I will buy it so I can reread it at leisure), then give gifts to book gods who have sent this book to you to help you change your writing career and produce a bestseller. Because the recipe for it is in this book, and it takes an agent with years of experience to point out things that are obvious yet rarely enter your writing mind since you're not the one who sells, you're the one who writes. Especially useful are the four outlines of Ken Follett's novel, complete with analysis. Just what I needed to help me with my outline—an example of how it's done behind the scenes. Can't recommend this book enough. Go buy it. Better yet, go buy the new edition for yourself and all your writer friends. And send me cookies. You're welcome.
March 1, 2018
Excellent book about the craft of novel-writing. Unlike other such books, which tend to get stuck in the same material (grammar, character-building, plots,etc.). Zuckerman takes the big picture. For instance, he's Ken Follet's agent, so he takes us through THREE complete outlines of the novel "The Man from St. Petersburg" to show how a well-written book comes to life.
Four stars. Recommended for all fiction writers.
Four stars. Recommended for all fiction writers.
February 19, 2022
So cool being able to look into Ken Follett's writing process! Wow! I also loved how Albert Zuckerman meticulously presented his advice through four very different books. Most books on writing are from authors; it was such a cool change to hear a leading literary agent's perspective on story structure.
June 21, 2018
A thought-provoking and illuminating look at writing large, plot- and character-driven commercial fiction. The four outlines Ken Follett wrote for his bestselling novel, THE MAN FROM ST. PETERSBERG, are nothing less than astounding and heartening for the any writer since it shows that writing a rich and textured novel is a process and even the best practitioners struggle with plot and narrative, as Follett did, and with that struggle are able to create great popular novels.
May 22, 2016
Yes...mostly yes. I think I'm finally to the point where this kind of thing is starting to make more sense, and I'm not caught up in issues between "Just tell me what to write" and "How dare you tell me what to write?"
This book tries to define what makes a blockbuster novel. It does lay out some shared traits like "Has multiple, entertwined POVs" and "Is mainly from a male POV but there are lots of exceptions" and "puts reader in a different, exotic locale, or makes an ordinary locale seem exotic" and "has over-the-top characters and situations, yet they're portrayed realistically." But it also has extensive examples *with analysis.* Personally, I found the combination of advice plus examples plus analysis to be very useful: I not only came out of it going, "I know what I can start doing to improve my work, that is, to make it more intense" but also going, "AHA. So that's why Twilight took off." I'm not a Twilight fan; the sentence-by-sentence writing is just not for me, and I can't get past it, like eating a dish that I find weirdly spiced.
But now I know that Twilight has that plot--over the top characters (in their passions, you know?) and situations, portrayed realistically, in an ordinary setting that's made to seem exotic, with characters that have their own, entertwined stories (I don't know how many POVs there are in the book, but they all have their own stories). I get it, at least to the point where I can see why other people like it so much, now.
So I recommend this book. Several things had me rolling my eyes because it was published in 1994, and a few of the examples of genres that would never take off...have. But for the most part, I thought the book was clear and insightful.
This book tries to define what makes a blockbuster novel. It does lay out some shared traits like "Has multiple, entertwined POVs" and "Is mainly from a male POV but there are lots of exceptions" and "puts reader in a different, exotic locale, or makes an ordinary locale seem exotic" and "has over-the-top characters and situations, yet they're portrayed realistically." But it also has extensive examples *with analysis.* Personally, I found the combination of advice plus examples plus analysis to be very useful: I not only came out of it going, "I know what I can start doing to improve my work, that is, to make it more intense" but also going, "AHA. So that's why Twilight took off." I'm not a Twilight fan; the sentence-by-sentence writing is just not for me, and I can't get past it, like eating a dish that I find weirdly spiced.
But now I know that Twilight has that plot--over the top characters (in their passions, you know?) and situations, portrayed realistically, in an ordinary setting that's made to seem exotic, with characters that have their own, entertwined stories (I don't know how many POVs there are in the book, but they all have their own stories). I get it, at least to the point where I can see why other people like it so much, now.
So I recommend this book. Several things had me rolling my eyes because it was published in 1994, and a few of the examples of genres that would never take off...have. But for the most part, I thought the book was clear and insightful.
July 17, 2017
Review also available at: https://devinhurd.herokuapp.com/singl...
There are some good points in this "craft of writing a best selling novel." And some dated points (this book is from 1994). Publishing has gone few some changes in the now-you-can-google-all-the-things world.
And there were disappointments. Such as the maddening (and probably not untrue) truths about who buys best sellers. People with enough disposable income to buy hardcovers are apparently 1% of the population. And they prefer to read about rich people. They don't like the poors. Or at least not books about them. They steer away from period works. And hate coming-of-age-novels. All in all, they sound like the petty bourgeoisie to me. Making sympathetic protagonists out of rich people is how we end up with too much Batman and I can't say I want to cater to that crowd. It's enough to send my sympathies over to the self-published writers carving out their own space without the trappings o agents and publishers.
Some interesting points to chew on with the process of outlining a novel and then teasing out the best dramatic pacing from it. And several good points on how to sustain momentum in a story. If you're thinking of writing with the ambition of writing a "best seller," this book might be worth a look. But if you're a fan of the pure craft of writing a story this one runs a little light on inspiration.
There are some good points in this "craft of writing a best selling novel." And some dated points (this book is from 1994). Publishing has gone few some changes in the now-you-can-google-all-the-things world.
And there were disappointments. Such as the maddening (and probably not untrue) truths about who buys best sellers. People with enough disposable income to buy hardcovers are apparently 1% of the population. And they prefer to read about rich people. They don't like the poors. Or at least not books about them. They steer away from period works. And hate coming-of-age-novels. All in all, they sound like the petty bourgeoisie to me. Making sympathetic protagonists out of rich people is how we end up with too much Batman and I can't say I want to cater to that crowd. It's enough to send my sympathies over to the self-published writers carving out their own space without the trappings o agents and publishers.
Some interesting points to chew on with the process of outlining a novel and then teasing out the best dramatic pacing from it. And several good points on how to sustain momentum in a story. If you're thinking of writing with the ambition of writing a "best seller," this book might be worth a look. But if you're a fan of the pure craft of writing a story this one runs a little light on inspiration.
October 16, 2018
This is a really comprehensive analysis of what makes writing a blockbuster. The book guides readers along by exploring several core texts including The Man From St. Petersburg, The Godfather, and Gone With The Wind amongst others and how the respective authors structured these great works. It reminds me of my days doing A’ Level English literature and studying Othello, 1984, and Testament of Youth.
I’m not sure how easy it will be to implement the advice given in my own writing but lookout world just incase....
I’m not sure how easy it will be to implement the advice given in my own writing but lookout world just incase....
May 4, 2008
This is an excellent book to have for tips on how to write a blockbuster book and get it published. A must have for writers like me.
July 4, 2016
If you want to write a novel, or you already write novels - read this book.
It has the best treatment (easiest to understand and use) on handling POV in scenes that I have seen.
It has the best treatment (easiest to understand and use) on handling POV in scenes that I have seen.
April 19, 2021
Published in '93 so some of this is a bit outdated, but the basic story element advice is still rock solid. The importance of outlining is a major focus. The development of plot, character and setting through those revised outlines also gets some play. Famed author Ken Follett's early career is used as a test subject.
August 30, 2018
Bit old-fashioned and the chapter on marketing is clearly outdated, but still quite useful. I loved the comparison of outlines and scenes.
March 29, 2018
Interesting in parts, but seriously out of date vis a vis the the world of publishing in others. Quite possibly the books cited as examples would no longer resonate with today's audiences in terms of being the, well, "blockbuster" novel you're hopefully going to be producing upon finishing this epic. Ignored genre fiction across the board.
Worked fairly well as an audiobook, though it is possible I did not give it the attention it needed, listening to it as I did on my commute.
Worked fairly well as an audiobook, though it is possible I did not give it the attention it needed, listening to it as I did on my commute.
April 13, 2023
Maybe 30 years ago this might have been helpful to someone. To me it felt like an arrogant, senile old man repeating his past accolades and spouting vague (obvious) advice on how to rite gud.
So painful. On the plus side, I don’t feel quite so intimidated by Writer’s House now that I no longer respect the founder.
So painful. On the plus side, I don’t feel quite so intimidated by Writer’s House now that I no longer respect the founder.
June 9, 2020
some good points and tips and reminders about writing a better novel. nothing that blew me away. not sure that guarantees a "blockbuster". this book was written so long ago and a lot of information about the industry ect I suspect is now quite outdated.
May 7, 2019
I was gobsmacked to learn that one author actually wrote the last chapter of her novel first, and worked backwards from there. That author was Margaret Mitchell and the book was the legendary Gone With The Wind.
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Magnetic, enchanting, pragmatic, addictive and wholly sensible, WRITING THE BLOCKBUSTER NOVEL by ALBERT ZUCKERMAN will 1 leave you hooked. Whether you're an established writer, a published author or a novelist in the making, this book can be your best friend if you're serious about staying on in the literary space for the long haul.
.
No spoilers intended (although there may be some!). But, in this book, you'll find absolutely unique approaches to developing your novel as well as refreshing perspectives on existing approaches that one may be familiar with. These include guidelines on subtleties and nuances of character development, points-of-view representation (voice), novel outlines, and so much more! Not to mention exclusive insight into every stage of Ken Follett's plot and character development for what became an all-time bestseller - The Man from St. Petersburg. 🔖
.
I devoured this book with feverish delight and renewed understanding, I'm re-reading chapters and I still can't get enough of it.
.
Magnetic, enchanting, pragmatic, addictive and wholly sensible, WRITING THE BLOCKBUSTER NOVEL by ALBERT ZUCKERMAN will 1 leave you hooked. Whether you're an established writer, a published author or a novelist in the making, this book can be your best friend if you're serious about staying on in the literary space for the long haul.
.
No spoilers intended (although there may be some!). But, in this book, you'll find absolutely unique approaches to developing your novel as well as refreshing perspectives on existing approaches that one may be familiar with. These include guidelines on subtleties and nuances of character development, points-of-view representation (voice), novel outlines, and so much more! Not to mention exclusive insight into every stage of Ken Follett's plot and character development for what became an all-time bestseller - The Man from St. Petersburg. 🔖
.
I devoured this book with feverish delight and renewed understanding, I'm re-reading chapters and I still can't get enough of it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2022
Fairly good, though obviously dated, having been written in the days before ebooks and
mass self-publishing.
Some very good hints here, and intriguing gems of information.
I did think it was a shame that the book focused so much on 'The Man from St Petersburg', as I
just couldn't summon enough interest in that story to want to read it. That was obv iously just me: there are a lot of people who love spy stories, but there's something about the genre that just doesn't appeal to me. I don't know why, because I find the whole notion of undercover scheming and people with false identities fascinating, and was very intrigued to read about Philby, Burgess, McClean and Anthony Blunt.
I could see how much the novel developed from the first outline, with its uninteresting, undeveloped characters, into the much more nuanced final product, with so many more interesting connections between them. Still, I would have found a series of outlines of 'Gone with the Wind' or 'TheGodfather' far more intriguing.
mass self-publishing.
Some very good hints here, and intriguing gems of information.
I did think it was a shame that the book focused so much on 'The Man from St Petersburg', as I
just couldn't summon enough interest in that story to want to read it. That was obv iously just me: there are a lot of people who love spy stories, but there's something about the genre that just doesn't appeal to me. I don't know why, because I find the whole notion of undercover scheming and people with false identities fascinating, and was very intrigued to read about Philby, Burgess, McClean and Anthony Blunt.
I could see how much the novel developed from the first outline, with its uninteresting, undeveloped characters, into the much more nuanced final product, with so many more interesting connections between them. Still, I would have found a series of outlines of 'Gone with the Wind' or 'TheGodfather' far more intriguing.
July 1, 2017
Writing the Blockbuster Novel really stands out among the many books that purport to help you craft your novel. While many instructors preach the importance of writing an outline, this book contains examples of actual outlines written by Ken Follitt, as well as a brutally honest analysis about the strengths and weaknesses of each draft.
The book I have been working on since November has undergone a number of changes that made me believe I don't have a clue. I've especially struggled to understand the antagonist and her motives. Reading this book has made me realize that this is normal, that I'm actually on the right track, and I've been provided with a number of tools and tips to make the next draft(s) of my book something worthwhile. A must-read for the aspiring genre fiction author wannabe.
The book I have been working on since November has undergone a number of changes that made me believe I don't have a clue. I've especially struggled to understand the antagonist and her motives. Reading this book has made me realize that this is normal, that I'm actually on the right track, and I've been provided with a number of tools and tips to make the next draft(s) of my book something worthwhile. A must-read for the aspiring genre fiction author wannabe.
August 11, 2024
Wow!!!!
This is a very dense book with tons of information, written by a very experienced legendary literay agent who just retired in 2020. Written in 2016...it still works.
There is so much practical advice and I have written 5 full action/ thriller novels. The first few chapters, just read and take notes/highlight. After that he does some DEEP dives into a few classic blockbuster books. I will admit I skipped a lot of pages as I got into the book, because it is a deep taking apart of these books, but he always summarizes.
I learned a LOT! Highly recommend it.
If you have the patience to read the blockbusters he uses as examples, and read all the evaluation, I am absolutely positive there is much more to learn. I do plan to read each of the books he uses as samples and go back to his deep evaluation. I feel it could easily be a college course.
If you like fast action and fun thriller novels, you might try mine: mikeslavinauthor.com
This is a very dense book with tons of information, written by a very experienced legendary literay agent who just retired in 2020. Written in 2016...it still works.
There is so much practical advice and I have written 5 full action/ thriller novels. The first few chapters, just read and take notes/highlight. After that he does some DEEP dives into a few classic blockbuster books. I will admit I skipped a lot of pages as I got into the book, because it is a deep taking apart of these books, but he always summarizes.
I learned a LOT! Highly recommend it.
If you have the patience to read the blockbusters he uses as examples, and read all the evaluation, I am absolutely positive there is much more to learn. I do plan to read each of the books he uses as samples and go back to his deep evaluation. I feel it could easily be a college course.
If you like fast action and fun thriller novels, you might try mine: mikeslavinauthor.com
March 21, 2019
Some very good advice in here. It almost certainly would have helped if I'd read any of the books he uses as examples. I also felt a bit like he was so narrowly focused on the kinds of books that most often sell best (books about the rich and famous, books with multiple points of view, books in exotic settings) that he almost makes it sound like there is a formula. But overall, very helpful and I definitely got some ideas for how to make my own writing better.
July 10, 2021
Zuckerman's inclusion of four different outlines for Ken Follett's novel The Man From St. Petersburg to walk the reader through the outlining process, as well as samples of Follett's first draft versus the finished, published draft as an example of the rewriting process was unique and extremely helpful. I have read similar instructive non-fiction books, but none showed the behind-the-scenes process a bestselling author takes the way Zuckerman's does.
May 26, 2018
Tons of great information by someone who knows the subject.
I wish I had read this book earlier, and will likely read it again. A goodly amount of advice is clearly lain out, and the examples make following along simple for even a hurried reader.
I wish I had read this book earlier, and will likely read it again. A goodly amount of advice is clearly lain out, and the examples make following along simple for even a hurried reader.
September 25, 2018
One of two books on writing that I often recommend. This is for writers who want to become commercial authors. Great advice, clearly presented. (The other, for aspiring writers, is Stephen King's ON WRITING.)
July 23, 2019
Excellent reference book for beginners and pros. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It made it clear for me about outlining, plotting, revising, point of views. Easily understood and well with the time to invest
May 9, 2021
A really valuable read. I loved the detailed examples of outlining and revision and having Zuckerman's commentary on them. I'd strongly recommend having read Follett's The Man from St. Petersburg before diving into this study.
May 27, 2022
“Blockbuster” here means “epic”. We're talking about large, multi-generational novels with dozens of characters. If that's what you're writing, this book is for you.
Interesting dissections of novels such as The Godfather, Gone With the Wind and The Man From St. Petersburg.
Interesting dissections of novels such as The Godfather, Gone With the Wind and The Man From St. Petersburg.
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