- Hardcover: 170 pages
- Publisher: Writer's Digest Books (5 July 1993)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0898793033
- ISBN-13: 978-0898793031
- Product Dimensions: 22.4 x 15.7 x 2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,140,410 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Elements of Writing Fiction - Plot
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Product Description
Product Description
"There are ways to create, fix, steer and discover plots - ways which, over a writing life, you'd eventually puzzle out for yourself," writes Ansen Dibell. "They aren't laws. They're an array of choices, things to try, once you've put a name to the particular problem you're facing now."
That's what this book is about: identifying those choices (whose viewpoint? stop and explain now, or wait? how can this lead to that?), then learning what narrative problems they are apt to create and how to choose an effective strategy for solving them. The result? Strong, solid stories and novels that move.
Inside you'll discover how to:
test a story idea (using four simple questions) to see if it works
convince your reader that not only is something happening, but that something's going to happen and it all matters intensely
handle viewpoint shifts, flashbacks, and other radical jumps in your storyline weave plots with subplots
get ready for and write your Big Scenes
balance scene and summary narration to produce good pacing
handle the extremes of melodrama by "faking out" your readers - making them watch your right hand while your left hand is doing something sneaky
form subtle patterns with mirror characters and echoing incidents
choose the best type of ending - linear or circular, happy or downbeat, or (with caution!) a trick ending
Whether your fiction is short or long, subtle or direct, you'll learn to build strong plots that drive compelling, unforgettable stories your readers will love.
--This text refers to the
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First Sentence
If you're like me and most of the writers I've known over the years in writers' groups, at conferences and in classes, you're coming to plot the hard way. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
If you're like me and most of the writers I've known over the years in writers' groups, at conferences and in classes, you're coming to plot the hard way. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
While 'Plot' was a good read, I found that the author assumed that everybody has read every book he used examples from without much explanation, which detracted from the overall value of the book.
This is not a 'how to plot' book, but more of a 'generalist hints on writing' approach, where individual bits of plot were analysed in reasonable detail (along with a lot of other elements of writing). Putting all the bits together and advice on how to do so was missing from the picture however.
This book goes in one of my bookshelves - 'How to Plot your Novel' by Jean Saunders is the book on plot I will be keeping near me while writing...
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I found the book interesting enough, but the good ideas are hidden in dense, lofty prose. Whilst I appreciate it is useful to mention great novels when writing about plot, Anson Dibell uses more titles than most; the same old books, almost clichés in a writers' reference book these days. Examples: 'Star Wars', 'The Grapes of Wrath', 'Vanity Fair', 'Wuthering Heights', 'Bleak House', 'Lord of the Rings', and so on. All good stuff, yes, but I got the feeling I was being told. 'Look, I can't plot much better than you, dear reader, but I know a good plot when I see one!' As I didn't want to turn out yet another 'High Noon', or a 'Jason and the Argonauts', in different settings, I started with a character suited to my story idea, and then outlined, after lots of old fashioned thinking. I coupled that with Michael Leggat's book on plot, and went for it. Strangely, I ended up with an outline that was based on 'The Hero with a Thousand Faces'. Serendipity indeed.
Format:Hardcover
For a beginner, I think this book is pretty handy. I don't have a problem with the titles the author refers to (Star Wars, Lord Of The Flies and so on) because they're books/films a lot of people have access to so if you're going to refer to other works, choose those which you can assume most people have read/seen.
Although the author uses other books as examples, in addition to this I would have preferred some written examples, such as in the case of "show, don't tell". A lot of beginners are confused by the show not tell thing, so some examples would have been good.
Although the author uses other books as examples, in addition to this I would have preferred some written examples, such as in the case of "show, don't tell". A lot of beginners are confused by the show not tell thing, so some examples would have been good.
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