Writing Fiction, Tenth Edition cover art

Writing Fiction, Tenth Edition

A Guide to Narrative Craft

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About this listen

A creative writer's shelf should hold at least three essential books: a dictionary, a style guide, and Writing Fiction. Janet Burroway's best-selling classic is the most widely used creative writing text in America, and for more than three decades, it has helped hundreds of thousands of students learn the craft.

This new edition continues to provide advice that is practical, comprehensive, and flexible. Burroway's tone is personal and nonprescriptive, welcoming learning writers into the community of practiced storytellers. Moving from freewriting to final revision, the book addresses "showing not telling", characterization, dialogue, atmosphere, plot, imagery, and point of view. It includes new topics and writing prompts. And the examples and quotations throughout the book feature a wide and diverse range of today's best and best-known creators of both novels and short stories.

This book is a master class in creative writing that also calls on us to renew our love of storytelling and celebrate the skill of writing well. There is a very good chance that one of your favorite authors learned the craft with Writing Fiction. And who knows what future favorite will get her start listening to this edition?

©2019 Janet Burroway, Elizabeth Stuckey-French, and Ned Stuckey-French (P)2019 Tantor Words, Language & Grammar Writing & Publishing Fiction Short Story Creative Writing
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Many exercises included. Suggestions for stories to study specific lessons was useful.
Only gripe was the quotes scattered throughout—with few indications they had begun… would be different in a paperback.

A full course book

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Good content but the narrator and narrative style were quite dull so I kept losing focus

Good content

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Lots of strategies and great advice on constructing stories. It goes into detail but isn’t restrictive on how you write and includes some great examples.

Detailed insight in the craft

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Janet is thorough but succinct, she covers so many aspects of writing but remains on topic and engaging. Cannot recommend this highly enough. I also bought the ebook so I could follow the prompts etc

Best resource for writers

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I have read so many writing craft books, over the years. This is a good one. Highly recommended.

Useful resource

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